The Pixie Alchemist
by stenv
Summary: The youngest state alchemist in history born amidst the most turbulent times of Amestris. Surrounded by the strangest allies and enemies, and threats lurking from both the light and shadows. This is the tale of Tanya Von Degurechaff, the Pixie Alchemist. This is now a full-fledged story thanks to you folks!
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Youjo Senki or FMA, FMAB or it's characters. This is a nonprofit fan work. Please support the official release.**

**A/N: I am not giving up on the other stories. However, one lesson I have learned is you can't just sit around waiting for writer's block to go away, otherwise you will remain stuck indefinitely.**

**The Aerugo Capital**

The only sound for miles that could be heard around, was the deafening shots of artillery cannons. Prince Claudio could hardly believe the dire circumstances his homeland had come under. He was clutching his side, blood staining his uniform. _Damn it all, if these amestrian dogs don't slaughter me; It's likely all the shrapnel will_ Claudio thought to himself as he could still hear the fires from behind the makeshift bunker.

He couldn't comprehend how any of this had come to pass. He knew that there were alchemists in Amestris' army, but for them to easily get past all their scouts. There were only two possibilities he could account for; Either they had come up with some new ingenious way of stealth or had completely wiped out all the scouts and communications before they knew what was going on. Claudio panted in shallow breaths, his ginger hair slick with sweat. If he fell here and now then his beloved nation would be without leadership. It would be an effective decapitation leaving them completely to Amestris' mercy.

"Sir, we need to get out right now!" His soldier's shouted to him, leaving Claudio to feel an intense rage and sorrow at the thought of having to abandon his home city. But he understood it was better to live and fight another day. He and his men got up ready to make a run for it, but a hail of bullets surging with what seemed like lighting came from the sky as though God was raining down divine punishment upon them. Only Claudio lived much to his dismay. He looked up at the sky, and there he saw her. '_Now it all makes sense,'_ he thought with gritted teeth before yowling in pain as the figure in the sky floated down, shooting off two more bullets as she descended, shooting his kneecaps and driving him to his knees in the process. Taking out his spare pistol, he fired off a few shots in vain towards the descending figure only for the bullets to simply stop, caught in a strange steady crackling static wave-like field surrounding her entirely, the light passing through created a dazzling rainbow-like effect. It would've been mesmerizing if it didn't belong to such a terrifying person. He could see why they called her the Pixie Alchemist. Her alchemy was truly as beautiful as it was deadly, like a mythical dragon or calm storm.

The figure that landed was a little girl, which only served to remind Claudio of the children too young to go to war. It was sickening to think how "the great nation of Amestris" had no problem with State Alchemists being so young, much less send them off to war. But this was no mere child as far as Claudio was concerned. Although she looked innocent by all accounts, with her angelic blond hair in a messy ponytail and piercing almost silver-like blue eyes, the smug expression on her face was anything but.

"Well now look what I caught," She said with a slight lisp that was high pitched. But Claudio knew this young girl far too well. She was only twelve years old, but the reputation she had was one of infamy; The Devil of Ishval, Argent Silver, The Pixie Alchemist. Colonel Tanya Von Degurechaff. Claudio grimaced at the sickening fact he had been found by her. Claudio could only grunt as she knocked him out harshly with the butt of her rifle. Tanya sighing as she reached up to the radio equipment she carried with her. "This is Colonel Degurechaff. I have the prince detained. Over." She then waited for her next set of orders.

"Roger, Colonel. Bring him back to HQ. Over and out." Tanya then draped the much larger unconscious man over her shoulder. She then took off despite all the bullets flying at her, all of which just deflected off her force field. It didn't take her long to fly over the battlefield, her eyes narrowing at the display.

'_Stubborn fools. I really despise irrational people. This could've been so much easier had they just given up sooner. Ah well, it's over now. Hopefully, I can head back to Central and get a cushy job like Roy,' _she thought to herself with a smug grin as she flew back to HQ, which was just a scattered collection of tents set a few miles away from the capital of Aerugo.

As she landed, soldiers saluted her before taking the unconscious prince away from her. It didn't take too long for her to debrief with the commanding Major General. Afterward, Tanya headed back to her tent for the night.

"Ma'am!" was the surprised exclamation of her adjutant Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov, though they called her Visha for short. Visha raised a salute standing tall at attention, even though her long brown hair was a little messy; not that Tanya could really blame her since it was a hot day. Tanya saluted back and smiled, smelling Visha's freshly brewed coffee.

"Thank you for the coffee, Major. How are Weiss and the others faring?" She asked casually as she walked over to where the coffee was awaiting her. If she were a cat, she would've purred from the pleasant scent and sensation of warm coffee going down her throat.

"They are performing well, ma'am." Visha let go of her salute, but still stood at attention.

"Was there anything else?" Tanya asked, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

"Yes. A message came from Central today, from Roy Mustang," She said holding a telegraphed letter. Tanya held out her free hand for it. After receiving it, she began to read it while sipping her coffee. '_Oh ho, well now ain't that interesting.'_ A devilish smirk appeared on her face that sent shivers down Visha's spine.

Visha knew that look on the Colonel's face all too well. It was the same look she had when she had trained her and several others into an elite fighting force not too long ago.

"Edward Elric, huh? The second youngest State Alchemist in history." Tanya could remember it like yesterday when she was only nine years old passing her exam. The State Alchemist exam had no real restrictions on age, what only mattered was if you could pass the requirements. "Perhaps I will see him on the way back to Central." She chuckled as she put the letter away. It looked like things were finally getting interesting.

**A/N: Just a one shot to see if people are interested. If enough people are interested I will continue this story. If not then maybe it will inspire other people too. Either way until next time. **

**But for those curious: Her alchemy and any other questions you might have will likely be explained and explored more if you're curious enough for this to continue. **

**Until next time, Stenv signing off.**


	2. Prologue: Deus Ex

**A/N: Well seems like folks are indeed interested. The tricky part was figuring out how to make it blend together in a way that made some sense, well at least to me. **

**Disclaimer: I own neither of these properties or characters. Please support the official releases. **

**Unknown**

All around was a white void of nothingness, save for the one, lone figure. He looked like an elderly man with a long white beard, dressed in an old robe, reminiscent of an ancient greek god. Though stoic. He had a hint of discontent on his face. "Why can't I do anything more?" The man moved his hand forward expecting something; only to be met with disappointment. "How can this be?" He made a frustrated voice, his cold stone-like demeanor showing its cracks.

"Oh? Were you expecting something for nothing?" A strange voice called out, echoing through the vast plane to the old man. He turned around to see a white humanoid with no discernible features crouched before him. As he looked to where their eyes would meet, if it had any, the thing smiled showing off a wide, wolfish grin. "That isn't how this works here." The creature told him with a chuckle.

"So this world is inhabited by a god.." The elderly being stated with shock, though his expression soon became one of contempt. "Why do you interfere with my work?!" He asked the creature with anger.

"I am not the god of this world, or any god. I am this world, I am all. I am The Truth." Truth stated, standing up before the elderly man. Although the creature was far smaller, the elderly man felt an overwhelming presence emanate from Truth, which gave credence to its namesake. "Though tell me, what were you expecting to accomplish?" The Truth asked, tilting its strange head in strange curiosity.

"I aim to teach a non-believer faith," The elderly man stated as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"In exchange for what?" Truth asked in response.

"Exchange?" The Elderly man was confused by this reply, rubbing his long white beard as though contemplating the idea.

"In this world. In order to gain something, something of equal value must be lost," The Truth stated while beginning to grow larger before the elderly man. "So again I ask you. What would you give in exchange for this 'faith'?" The Truth now dwarfed the elderly man.

"I am the creator!" The Elderly man barked back in defense. "It's only natural that they should have faith in me! If it weren't for me, they would've been stuck in the eternal cycle of reincarnation. At least this way, they have a chance for Nirvana!" The elderly man stated once again, noticing the strand of hair that came loose, ultimately bringing him back from his tirade and fixing himself to a proper look.

"Hmm, interesting. Very interesting," The Truth chuckled with mock mirth, " But you still haven't told me what the exchange would be, I allowed you to reincarnate their soul here, as you exchanged their old life for a new one. But I won't allow you to create miracles on a whim from nothing. Something of equivalent value must be given. Otherwise, it is against the very flow of this world." Truth tilted its head as a massive stone door written in the long-dead language of the world appeared behind the elderly man.

He gasped as it opened showing a large eye in the void, shadowy hands reached for him. He let out a beam of light from his outstretched hands pushing the hands back into the darkness. But the door wouldn't shut. _I could keep this up forever and so could he. Damn it we're too evenly matched_, The elderly man looked back behind himself towards The Truth.

"Fine, if I can't create miracles here in order to teach the fool Faith, then I shall take them and henceforth depart." The elderly man stated though the shadowy hands continued stretching out again pushing back his beams of light with great intensity. He began to sweat as he pushed back, but luckily, they stopped halfway back into the door.

"I will have to disagree with that, old man. You've already made your exchange, the soul is mine now. They belong to me." The Truth's grin seemed to only widen impossibly longer.

"Damn you!" The elderly man shouted in contempt. "How dare you get in my way! This unfaithful wretch can't be left unpunished!" The elderly man was practically fuming. "And stop calling me old man!" He said gritting his teeth.

"Hmm, tell you what; I will make you a deal. If this person dies an unnatural death, then you'll be free to reclaim their soul. However, should they live to a ripe old age and die naturally. Then they will forever remain a part of this world as I see fit." The Truth offered. "Well, what do you say? It sounds fair to me." It said with a hollow laugh.

"Damn you…," The elderly man, however, sighed as his beam weakened. "Fine you have a deal!" he shouted, before watching the door and it's disturbing contents vanish. The old man collapsed to the ground on his knees panting.

"So what name do you go by, old timer?" The Truth asked mockingly, ignoring the annoyance the robed man expressed.

"I go by many names. Yahweh, Jehovah, or as that unfaithful wretch dubbed me. Being X." X stated as he stood up from the ground, glaring with murderous intent.

"Well then, see ya around X." The Truth waved to X as he faded out of the world. The Truth stared at the soul in question as they reincarnated. Ah yes, they would indeed make an interesting spectacle indeed.

**A/N: This is the prologue. Figured it would do well to explain why you won't see magic or Being X's presence all that much in the story. Don't get me wrong I get that I am taking some of Tanya's awesome stuff away. But I just couldn't figure out how his stuff would fit in this world without violating the laws of equivalent exchange. Even the great philosopher's stone follows those laws. **


	3. Chapter One: Providence

**Disclaimer: I own neither of these properties or their characters. Please support the official releases.**

When she had come into this world, her screams were loud and nearly deafening. But to the nuns who had delivered her, it was a great sign that she would grow to be a strong child. It wasn't exactly their fault for not knowing the full truth behind the crying.

Though as the child named Tanya grew older, it didn't take long to notice some strange qualities about her. She was more calm and collected than most children. She didn't like to play with children a lot as well, making her stand out more. The most noticeable though was her curiosity about the world than anything else, having frequently asked questions as much as she could.

'_This world is a bit strange_,' Tanya thought, coming to this conclusion, sitting alone at a table while secretly picking at her loaf of bread. She was only five years old at the time but seemed more mature due to the memories of her old life still being present. She chewed on a piece of bread as she thought about how the country she had been born in seemed to remind her of her old world's Germany. '_The strangest thing is it doesn't seem all that off_,' Tanya sighed as she continued to chew the somewhat stale bread.

'_If this was some kind of Isekai, I would likely get reincarnated with some broken op ability. Not sure how I can do that when there doesn't seem to be anything unique here,'_ Tanya pouted at the slightest bit of disappointment; she felt sure she was a bit glad that she hadn't born in a world of insane monsters or magic that could wipe out cities in the blink of an eye. But with none of that, it felt like her life would end up being boring. '_At worst I will just have to wait until the minimum working age and find a good place to start,'_ Tanya pondered, feeling a bit more relieved as she could see a great master plan before her. Sure, it would be slow and rather dull to most, but with her past life experience, she could get ahead farther in life much faster than any other. It brought a smirk on her face as she thought of how cushy she could make her life within a decade or so.

"Tanya! Tanya! Come on you gotta see this! An Alchemist is visiting!" A boy her age tugged on her arm. making her grumble as she clutched her bread possessively. However, the little girl did get up after seeing everyone, including the nuns, outside. No child was allowed to be alone in the building without an adult, so Tanya wanted to have a good reputation as much as possible.

She followed the kid outside, knowing he had a name of course, but wasn't interested in knowing the names of her fellow orphans. She didn't see any use for them for later in her life. The nuns could possibly be a good reference, or resource, if it came down to it. She grimaced at the harsh sun once outside._ 'It's too hot out here in the east, Damn Being X putting me somewhere so hell like!'_ She thought with a grimace.

A burst of roaring laughter thundered from outside, piquing her interest for the source of it all. '_Either he is in great shape or is some kind of superhuman,'_ Tanya thought as she looked at the towering giant of a man, completely shirtless showing off all his ripped muscles. He only had a blonde curl of a hair on his forehead and, oddly enough, no eyebrows. He had piercing blue eyes that seemed to always have some kind of twinkle in them. Tanya blinked her eyes a few times wondering if she hadn't passed out from eating the stale bread and spat out the piece she was chewing just to be safe.

"Salutations on this marvelous day, children!" The man shouted in a booming voice that made Tanya's ears ring. '_Way too loud!_,' Tanya gritted her teeth as the other children cheered at the man. She couldn't deny the statue of a man had some kind of charisma, she just wasn't fond of loud people.

"This orphanage being in such shambles saddens my heart. But fear not! With the great power of alchemy that has been passed down for generations through the Armstrong family, I shall repair it! HA!" It was then that Tanya noticed the gauntlets he was wearing with some strange almost magical rune-like symbols carved upon them; They also seemed to be like brass knuckles. She blinked as blue electrical energy surrounded them before he punched the orphanage wall. Her eyes widened as she saw the orphanage change before her very eyes. The run-down orphanage she had spent her whole existence in was transformed, the architecture miraculously becoming something elegant, like out of a storybook. '_Magic?,'_ She questioned to herself, stunned that this world seemed to possess magic after all, ultimately wondering if this could be learned or if one had to be born with it.

"Woah!" The kids practically cheered, praising him for his work. One of the kids echoed her thoughts about it being magic, to which Armstrong laughed heartily.

"No children. Though Alchemy is truly a blessed miracle in its own right, it's not magic; rather it is an astounding science that can be learned. So take heart children, if you have the talent and drive. You too can one day possibly gain amazing alchemy like mine!" He exclaimed, flexing for emphasis and showing off his 'guns'. Tanya blinked as she processed what he said '_It's science?'_ She looked at the orphanage more closely and noticed the ground around it was altered as though it had been dug by a whole group.

"Where did the ground go?" Tanya asked. The other kids looked at her in confusion.

"Quite a perceptive eye, runt," Tanya blinked as a hand roughly ruffled her blonde hair, which earned a grimace at the sudden intrusive hand. As she turned to look at the jerk who messed with her hair, she ceased whatever glare she would've used as she noticed a woman dressed in full military garb, carrying a saber. She had long blonde hair reaching to her waist, and the same kind of eyes as Armstrong. "Impressive, you weren't taken in by Alexander's showboating." She said with a chuckle.

"Ah dear, sister! It's truly wonderful that you could join us!" Armstrong leapt for his sister, with arms open wide. Tanya could barely follow the sister of Armstrong, as she fluidly moved her saber jabbing it harshly into Armstrong's abs. It winded him in one clean blow.

"You will address me by my full rank, Major Alexander Armstrong!" The woman shouted in a commanding voice. Armstrong slowly stood up shakily and saluted his sister.

"Yes, Brigadier General Olivier MIra Armstrong!" He said with a shaky breath, much to Tanya's surprise. '_So these alchemists aren't just scientists but can join up in the military. And from what little I could gather from listening around. The military pretty much runs this country.' _The gears in Tanya's mind were working overtime as she thought of this new information.

"You really should carry yourself better. You're a state alchemist after all, not some common alchemist." Olivier said in a huff, revealing more about the world to Tanya. '_So there is a difference between military and non-military alchemists, that's a given of course. The only question now is how do I learn this alchemy? I don't know of any libraries in this squalid town.' _She thought in frustration when another pair of boots caught her attention.

"THIS PLACE IS PERFECT!" The man looked deranged, and he wasn't dressed in blue military garbs like Armstrong or Olivier. He wore a simple suit with a white coat over it, and his hair was a mess as though he didn't care for it much. His hair being grey and poofy although held back in a ponytail. He wore a single monocle and looked like he was devouring the scenery.

"Doctor Shugel! Control yourself." Olivier stated harshly to the mad doctor. Tanya didn't know much about him, but she could tell that she likely couldn't work with him.

"This place will be the perfect location for me to conduct my research in peace." The doctor noted as he motioned for other soldiers to march on with his books. Olivier gave the doctor a glare, though he didn't appear fazed by it. '_If I were to guess, I think he just revealed a little of something he wasn't supposed to_,' Tanya then felt a chill.

She was being watched by Olivier. "Don't try to ask too many questions where you shouldn't, runt," Olivier slightly unsheathed her saber to prove a point. The gleam of the metal made Tanya break out into a cold sweat. Seeing the desired reaction, Olivier resheathed her blade. "Got a name, runt?" Olivier asked Tanya with an intense gaze.

"Tanya Degurechaff." Tanya stated her name while holding her gaze with Olivier, causing the general to smirk.

"If you end up in the military, kid. You would make a good subordinate." Olivier stated before turning around to take her leave. Alexander followed after her having dressed up his upper body. He waved goodbye to all the little children.

From that night and into The next morning, she had a plan already set in mind; one way or another, she was going to learn about this alchemy. '_I never did have much preference for military life. But if that woman is anything to go by, the way everyone looked at her...,'_ Her mind having flashed back to her previous life. And she clenched her tiny fists as she felt resentment well up in her again. '_Maybe with enough power and authority, something like that will never happen again_.' With her mind made up, she spent the next few days watching the military move around.

She asked them a few questions here and there. She had to watch her questions, however, as it was clear they had something going on. She knew better than to poke the bear too much. So she pretended to be the naive girl, not even trying to hide her natural lisp. "Gee mister, how much longer are you going to stay in town?" She inquired with her voice high pitched and her lisp making some odd whistling noises. The soldiers chuckled at her precocious nature, but did ultimately let her know they would only be there for a week, at least long enough to let the mad doctor get settled in.

From there, it was a tricky task to snoop around eavesdropping for Tanya. However, She dreaded running into the Armstrong siblings most of all. Mostly Alex, as his men liked to call him. Olivier was imposing in her own right, but Tanya feared for her eardrums in the man's loud presence. Thankfully, Olivier was always in her office, and Armstrong was busy playing with all the other little orphans. The little information she got from the week of eavesdropping implied the good doctor wasn't really an alchemist. But Tanya wasn't ready to give up, '_At the very least he must have some kind of research notes on Alchemy.'_

On the day the soldiers were leaving to go back to wherever they were stationed, Tanya remembered only having some soup with slightly less dirt in it than usual. She stomached it down along with the potatoes. '_This is just more motivation to get out of this place sooner than later_.'

She walked through town looking the mad scientist. It was a bit more tricky than she would've liked considering he had been rather hush-hush in his moving. Still, she figured he wouldn't be too hard to find. He seemed like the type to not be content with being quiet and, sure enough, she could hear loud rumblings in the distance. '_They sound almost like fireworks,'_ she thought in confusion as she wandered to the outskirts of the desert village. It took her nearly an hour to walk on foot to where Schugel was residing.

The place she had been looking for seemed more like an old military bunker than an actual house. The bricks were a dull grey color, and the roof was painted black. She could see Shugel off to the side tinkering with- wait was that a rocket?! '_I didn't even think that kind of technology existed here. Sure they have trains, but there is still much about this world I don't know_.' Tanya however quickly realized that by the large explosion that sent Shugel flying back. It was more than likely he was a mad man inventing the rocket.

Not wanting the crazy man to die due to her wanting access to whatever research notes he had. She approached his unconscious body and, with a lot of effort with her child body, she slowly dragged him into the bunker. Noting that it was cooler inside than outside Tanya laid the scientist on the single cot he possessed before she went to rummage around the messy interior. He had a really basic kitchen, a single bedroom, and a single filled room with books. Tanya felt her eye twitch as she continued to furiously search for a medkit. '_Why couldn't he have organized better?!,'_ She thought in frustration, finding it nigh impossible to navigate around the house. After several minutes, the girl did finally manage to find a medkit, in the bathroom tossed haphazardly in the bathtub. Luckily for her, everything she needed was in the medkit, making her rush back to the passed out scientist, utterly thankful he didn't seem to be injured all that much. '_I am really glad I took the worker's first aid class back then_, she thought in retrospect as she tended to the injuries she could. Having bandaged him up and getting him to take some medicine, Tanya gingerly adjusted his sleeping position upon his cot. She, however, let out a frustrated sigh as she hadn't noticed the time she spent with the ordeal once it was getting dark outside. '_I could walk back... but then wolves would jump me or something. Well, there goes a black spot on my perfect record_,' she thought with a heavy sigh. '_Now whoever thinks of adopting me will likely worry about me running away or that I have some kind of rebellious streak_.' She gritted her teeth as she closed the only door to the outside, and went to the kitchen to see if he had anything to eat. And she had just about cried tears of joy seeing nice cold refreshing water in a bottle.

Tanya figured she was at least owed one bottle. She couldn't help but take the bottle out of the refrigerator and drank greedily, the ice cold water soothing her rather parched throat. After that was a few minutes of her struggling to climb the shelves of the kitchen to get some additional rations, but to her dismay, they were mostly a bunch of military-grade rations. '_Well, they won't be appetizing but least they will keep me from starving.' _And of course, it would be potatoes once again.

'_Most people dislike alarm clocks and roosters. I used to criticize them for their laziness. But I think I get it now_,' Tanya groaned as she was woken up by the raving of a mad man. Specifically, the man she had saved yesterday. He had an ecstatic expression, but the way he was shouting and flailing his arms around, Tanya couldn't even understand what he was even saying, only catching something about how clever she was?

"There's no doubt about it! Clearly, fate has decided that you would make a great assistant to me!" The man said with a grin that made Tanya's eye twitch. '_He had to say fate?! Damn it if you're behind this Being X_ _I will...Wait he said, assistant!' _Tanya blinked and then grinned triumphantly at this turn of events. '_Hooray for altruism!'_ This was a good thing for her, now that she was a part of something greater in becoming his assistant. That meant she could gain access to whatever notes he had on Alchemy.

"When do I start?" She asked hesitantly as the man continued to rant about.

"We can start right away! Just need you to go get the fuel. Then it's more rockets!" He cackled and Tanya was beginning to regret her plans already. After the rocket got set up again, it failed yet again. Tanya ducked behind a rock as Shugel was sent flying again. She sighed as she had to go drag him back to the bunker and patch up his wounds again. While he was resting, she decided to go look at his library.

It felt like time went by in a rapid stream after that. She spent a few months looking through the library, while occasionally patching up Shugel's wounds when the experiments went wrong. Occasionally she did go into town to retrieve things for him and to let the orphanage know that she was fine. The orphanage was surprisingly okay with her spending time with Shugel so long as nothing bad happened to her. Aside from that, she didn't make any progress in learning about Alchemy until one day when she was struggling to reach a book on a high shelf.

"Ah Tanya, looking around in my Library, are you?" The all too familiar tone of Shugel shook her from her trance. She blinked staring at him with a bit of anxiety, wondering if this was the part where he would berate for going behind his back and using his knowledge. "Tell me, are you trying to learn Alchemy?" Shugel guessed her intentions with such shocking clarity, it almost made Tanya reconsider her views on him as a lunatic.

"I am.." She answered his question.

"Ah, I see. Well, just so you know, this book would probably be more useful," He said reaching into his lab coat, and pulling out a thick book of encyclopedic proportions. "Before I give this to you though, there is one thing you should know..." He said holding it out of her reach.

"And what's that?" Tanya asked warily. '_Just be calm Tanya, you're so close to getting that sweet taste of Alchemy. Just put up with his insanity a little longer.'_

"You probably don't know the first thing about Alchemy. But I will give you the basic beginner's lesson. One: it is not an all-powerful art, to gain something, something of equal value must be lost. Two: Human Transmutation is absolutely forbidden, for Alchemy cannot bring back the dead no matter what you do. To try and transmute people back to life would be throwing your own life away." He finished his statement with a somber tone.

"I see..," Tanya said with a sweatdrop. '_I doubt I would ever want to try Human Transmutation, it seems way too risky. Besides, even if I taught someone to bring me back, would I even come back the same person?'_ She thought to herself as Shugel tossed the book her way.

"You can read that later, now c'mon, we've got more work to do." Shugel stated excitedly, walking off to do more work for his rocketereing. Tanya, in turn, followed him while clutching onto the book as though it were her lifeline. She finally had made some progress in order to learn the secrets of alchemy and gain a position of comfort and power later in life. The edges of her lips grew from ear to ear, grinning sinisterly in pure nirvana.

**A/N: The reason I chose to not do Ed and Al's home is because it would be too convenient. Next chapter we get into her studying of alchemy and mastering her own alchemy.**


	4. Chapter Two: Endeavor

**Disclaimer: I don't own these properties or characters. Please support the official release.**

**Guest: Obrigado.**

**Cat Eyes In The Night: Thank ya and hope you like this chapter as well.**

Tanya grumbled as she sat down on the ground, her hair more frazzled than usual. Surrounding her were several crumpled papers, all of which showed crudely drawn transmutation circles. For the last three months, she had read everything she could on basic alchemy. And had asked Shugel what all he knew, which turned out to be very little as he had never really been interested in pursuing it.

'_A mad scientist that doesn't use all sciences, curse you being x!'_ She glared at the latest transmutation drawing she had created. It was a simple circle, and would probably be useful for parlor tricks. But that wasn't her goal here, she wanted to create impressive alchemy that would ensure her acceptance into the state alchemist's fold. '_I am in no rush to join them, but ever since reading up on the legal matters of State Alchemists, I am shocked they have no real restrictions on membership aside from passing the requirements. If I can do it as soon as possible, and plan out my alchemy so that I can keep passing yearly evaluations, I could coast by on all those research grants until I can get some other occupation outside the military.' _She gritted her teeth as she tore up the latest transmutation circle she had come up with. '_But none of these have been good enough,'_ she thought to herself in frustration. She needed something that would be good use in combat, but something that would allow her to keep her distance if possible and keep her safe, in case she did have to enter into a fight. It was easier said than done, however. She had come up with a sufficient method, about a month ago. One morning she had been at her desk drawing a circle trying to come up with a suitable transmutation. When she noticed the magnet attract a staple after it fell off the desk.

'_That had been my inspiration, but the problem isn't that it didn't work_.' It had indeed worked. She had set up a circle and tested it outside. It did attract metal as she had hoped; the problem that stumped her, however, was that it was far too limited. It was a useless stationary circle that could attract metal but only attract. It was no better than mere parlor alchemy. '_I tried to modify it by using a different kind of magnetism, in my world there was electromagnetism. I vaguely remember the science, luckily Shugel had some books on the theoretical sciences. Theories since it isn't a very well understood yet. Still, they did help me bridge the gap. The other issue is even that wasn't enough, in theory, I could do more than simply attract metals. I even made other circles capable of those other functions. But no matter how I look at it. It's still abysmal thinking of the sheer vulnerability and impractical nature of it all.'_

Tanya couldn't help the anger rising in the back of her throat. She had made so much progress yet one final piece of the puzzle was eluding her grasp. '_Damn Being X!_ She cursed in the back of her mind as she looked at the collective effort of all her research. _If only there was a way to combine it all into one, so I could use it all at the...same...time…'_

Tanya's eyes widened in stunned surprise as she looked at all her notes again. She then began collecting all her notes and placed them on top of one another. Whenever she moved them around each other it was like a moving circle. '_That's it! Not one massively complex circle! But rather simultaneous parallel transmutation circles! And yes I can have them work in sync, with the energy being transferred between them like a loop that would stabilize them and allow them to work in harmony! But this can't be done in a mere carving, no I need something more…'_

Tanya heard the familiar loud boom of the rocket engines explode again. She grinned as the final piece slid into place. '_Yes of course! An alchemical machine, overlaying multiple circles so that they can operate in parallel.'_ An unpleasant expression appeared on her childlike face as she realized she would have to ask Shugel if she could borrow some parts. '_Better go collect his knocked-out body again…'_

She was surprised to see that Shugel was actually still conscious this time around. He was leaping in joy and it seemed the rockets hadn't completely been destroyed this time. Seemed like she wasn't the only one making progress. "Doctor," She called out to him hesitantly. '_Do I really want to ask this mad man for anything? What if he wants something in return? Something disgusting even? If he goes that route I will kill him then and there damn the consequences.'_ She could barely contain her shudder at this. Shugel looked at her while adjusting his monocle. "I was wondering if I could borrow some parts. For my research into Alchemy." She crossed her fingers behind her back in worried anticipation.

"It seems the glorious lord continues to provide us with divine glory! Sure I will allow you to borrow some parts but you will have to pay me back, equivalent exchange and all that!" Shugel was practically cackling much to Tanya's displeasure. But she had finally gotten the materials she needed.

**Experiment #001**

It had taken a few weeks to set up. But now the final preparations were in place, it was a relatively simple design. At least in concept, she had carved out the gears, crafting in the circles. The pistons were well oiled, and the whole machine was about the size of a trunk bigger than her.

She plugged in the large power cable, this would be where it would make or break. She looked at the switch the doctor had so kindly taught her to set up. She flipped the switch and the machine started to shake and hum. She could see the glow from behind the cracks. It slowly started to lift up, and then it stopped working all of a sudden as the lights in their area went out. '_And fail, it worked but not enough power…'_

**Experiment #006**

Tanya was practically fuming since at this point she had gone through the other types of power. Now it was down to this last method. '_The most basic of all energy production, movement. I had to create a new type of circle that could collect energy from the movement of the circles. Now let's see if this does the trick!'_

She flipped the switch with enthusiasm, and then the device began to rise off the ground. And for once it didn't turn off after a few minutes. '_Take that Being X! Hooray!,'_ Tanya thought with maddening excitement. Only for it to quickly be quelled as the trunk buckled, and then it exploded before her very eyes sending her flying back with her hair singed. '_Damn you ...X….'_ She passed out while Shugle laughed at her misfortune.

**Experiment #015**

Tanya rubbed her tired eyes out as she flipped the secondary switches making the device land to the ground. She had gone through many improvements in making it a bit more compact, with more ventilation. But when that didn't work, due to the overheating still being a problem, she created supplemental alchemy circles that could absorb the moisture from the air, and convert it into cold vapor, greatly increasing the run time of the device.

'_The only issue is I can only get a few minutes, fifteen at max out of it. Before it has to cool down, I've done everything I can with keeping it cool._ She scratched her head before the realization came to her at last. _That's it!'_ She thought with a familiar smug look.

**Experiment #118**

Tanya yawned loudly as she looked at the complex array of radio's and switches she had set up. She took a sip from her coffee because it had taken a long time to get the approval papers for her using gold in her experiments. She knew it was illegal to make gold, but she tried to make an argument that she wasn't using it for finance, rather it was for research.

For two years, she had poured into crafting this alchemy, spending many sleepless nights to get it working. Here she was only seven years old, and she was so close to a breakthrough. She had managed to use alchemy to create a component alloy using Gold, Titanium and a few other metals that would be useful for durability and withstanding extreme temperatures.

Now, she wouldn't have to worry about it exploding or melting from the heat. Plus it wouldn't freeze in the upper altitudes of the atmosphere. She looked at the nice shiny gold like box, it was no longer the size of the initial trunk device she had started out with. Now it was about the size of a backpack an elementary student would wear.

'_Today is the true test, and then I think I will be ready to take that state alchemist's exam!'_ However, she couldn't shake her apprehension as today would be the first time she would be wearing the device. She gulped as she picked it up, disconnecting the power and control cables. She attached it to the harness she had set up and then she let out a single breath. As she felt the humming of the device that signaled it was functioning.

It was stable, and she could feel her electromagnetic field entangling with the devices becoming one with it. She slowly raised her right hand and focused on a series of cans she had laid out for this experiment. She concentrated flexing her fingers in her right hand, as the metal-can slowly shook before flying to her hand!

She caught it with a triumphant expression. She then put the can down hesitantly, as it was time for the next big test. She focused while clutching onto her harness, prior to her feet started to slowly lift off the ground. Soon she was a few feet floating off the ground.

"HA! I've finally done it! With this, I am sure to ace the state alchemist exam!" She could picture it all now. The funds, grants, and power and prestige. All within her grasp for the taking that would show that bastard X.

_**POW!**_

The deafening sound of a gunshot made her lose focus, and fall to the ground in a rather disgraceful manner. Her face buried in the rough ground. She picked herself up staring murderously at Shugel still holding the smoking gun.

"What the hell was that for?!" She screeched out seeing red in her eyes. '_That mad son of a bitch is this the moment he finally drops all pretenses and tries to kill me?!'_ She thought while wondering if she could use her new alchemy to impale him on something sharp.

"You were boasting. It's clear you still haven't mastered your alchemy. You may have created it, but you still don't fully know it? Nor would you be prepared to use it in a fight. You still have work to do." Shugle berated her while firing off a few more shots at her, which she barely deflected thanks to her alchemy, creating a multicolored aura shield that even she was surprised to see.

As much as she hated to admit it, the old bastard had a point.

"Also you should make it less bulky. It looks so unrefined, and would most likely be a hindrance in the field." The mad doctor pointed out, walking away with seemingly no care in the world and leaving behind a pissed off Tanya to think over his words.

**Experiment #203**

Tanya made final adjustments to her flight suit, it was rather amusing how this world didn't yet still have a flight force. The only thing she had heard in regards to them having any kind of aerial strength was the Black Bats of Creta.

Her eyes glowed a bright blue, making them practically silver. Her alchemy was in full effect now, as she launched off the ground soaring into the sky, climbing altitudes at an astonishing speed. '_Tch! As much as I hate to admit the old psycho was right. By changing the design heavily, even if it's now a glorified wristwatch. The great lightweight and switching to gears, has overall improved the strain on it. It's easier to use than before. And even if he kept shooting at me, which I don't appreciate. At least I have gotten better at using my alchemy.'_

Tanya couldn't deny that it was somewhat of a thrill to fly high in the sky higher than any bird. She bet she was even flying higher than any world war one plane from her old world. It was exhilarating the altitude she flew at, and, thanks to oxygen being magnetic in a sense, she was able to keep a personal supply of oxygen even at high altitudes without the need of an oxygen tank. The only trouble was she had to watch it make sure it wasn't pure oxygen as that wouldn't be good.

But it was still a surprise to Tanya that she had come so far. In four years, she had managed to fully develop and master potent alchemy that would no doubt ensure her success at the state alchemy entrance exam.

She flew for a few more hours before landing back to earth. She quickly got out of the flight suit and went back in the bunker. And though she didn't want to admit it, Tanya had something akin to nostalgia for the place. Sure Shugel was a pain in the ass and she had feared one of his experiments would be the death of both of them. But for some reason, it had felt rather homey to her. She had gotten used to it. And now she would be saying goodbye to it all.

She looked at Doctor Shugel crouched over his table working on more schematics. The man was persistent much like her. She already had her bags packed for the trip to Central, but he didn't seem to care all that much about her leaving.

"Goodbye Doctor. Try to not kill yourself. Otherwise, I won't be able to pay you back." She said in a biting tone as she grabbed her bags and headed out the door.

"Don't die," Was all he said to her in turn. She paused at the door and then continued on her way. '_Shitty old man,'_ she thought with mixed feelings,' she hated the man for sure. But she supposed she felt a sense of gratitude for him providing her with the resources needed for her climb in the world. And the coffee was also a nice benefit.

**Central**

The train to Central had been a pretty boring ride to Tanya. She had thought about flying all the way to Central. But knew that would be rather foolish since it would be harder to enter the city from above.

As the train came to a stop, Tanya got her bags and walked through the street. The people didn't seem all that concerned with a random child walking all by themselves. Though, some eyes did wander looking at the device she wore on her necklace. It looked like it was made of gold with a ruby lens. She was well prepared for a fight if necessary. Luckily she managed to get to Central Command without too much fuss.

The military officials at the center gate stopped her from passing any further. "Miss if you're looking for your daddy. You don't need to come up here, how about you give us your number and we can tell him to call you." The guards explained, clearly trying to be helpful. That was the reasoning that kept Tanya from murdering them, and she didn't want to become an enemy of the state.

"I am here to take the State Alchemist's exam." She stated bluntly. And the guards looked at her like she had sprouted a second head, to which she sighed in annoyance as she put down her bag and then opened it up. The guards watched her warily as she pulled out a sealed envelope. The guards took it, opening it up and took a few double takes looking at the small nine-year-old girl.

"You're Tanya Degurechaff?" The guards asked in confusion. They still didn't quite believe their eyes. The paperwork was official, it was an approval for her application to the exam.

"I am sorry, Ms. Degurechaff. But there's no way this letter can be real.." The other guard spoke up as he didn't think this could possibly be real. Tanya felt a nerve appear on her forehead as she felt an intense fury at this bumbling fool. _'The letter was authentic, it was real! Yet he dared to say otherwise?!'_

"What seems to be the problem here?" An elderly male voice broke the tense situation. The guards quickly broke into a salute with scared looks on their faces.

"Sir!" They both shouted.

"I am trying to get in for my state exam. But these gentlemen seem to think it's a prank." Tanya said with some venom in her voice.

"Is that right?" The elderly man with tan skin and an eye patch took the letter the guards were holding. He hummed a few times as he looked at the letter with his one good pale green eye. "Well now, this is definitely an official letter, Ms. Degurechaff. Though I can't say I don't blame these men for being skeptical. Guess you will just have to pass the exam to prove otherwise, no?" He said with a smile as he handed the letter back to her.

"Thank you, sir?" She said asking for his name while saluting him.

"The name is Bradley," he chuckled before turning on his heel and walking past the guards, leaving Tanya shell-shocked as she realized just who she had been talking with. '_KING FUHRER BRADLEY?!'_ Tanya felt like she had just taken an ice bath and gulped. Well, now it looked like she had to pass or risk making a terrible impression to the ruler of this country. '_Damn Being X…'_

It took her what felt like an hour to walk all the way to the written Alchemist's exam room. Cursing her tiny child-sized legs all the while. Once She made it to the room, Tanya was quite surprised to see other test-takers as well, finding it a bit awkward for her to have to get some help in reaching her desk. Writing down her answers on the test to the best of her ability, another hour seemed to have flown by without a hitch, similar to her own flight not several days earlier.

The written exam hadn't been as hard as she would've thought; most of it was practically common sense, while some parts of it gave her some pause. But overall Tanya had managed to pass the written part with flying colors. The stunned reactions on the test giver's face were priceless to her.

'_Now we get to the final obstacle on my way to living a nice cushy life_.' She gulped as she walked down the hallways. Tanya was guided to a pair of large oak doors before they opened, having her step into the room and nearly fainted from shock. As she looked at her new test givers. '_NO NO NO NO!'_ It took all her willpower to not scream out in frustration and fear, keeping her face calm was a miracle if you were to ask anyone but her. King Bradley was there as well along with The Strong Arm Alchemist and a random military official, there were also a few guards. Bradley and Armstrong waved cheerily to her.

Tanya let out a mental sigh as she knew it was best to get this over with. So she walked into the room, saluting the men as she walked in the room. Not flinching as the doors shut behind her.

"So you passed the written test. Magnificently done!" Armstrong flexed in approval.

"Looks like you're the real deal. I hope you continue to impress us, Ms. Degurechaff." Bradley said with his hands clasped in front of him like some kind of cunning anime villain. '_Yippee hooray for me,'_ Tanya sarcastically thought as she walked forward.

"You're free to take as long as you need to prepare for your alchemy. And will you be needing any supplies?" The other official officer asked her. He seemed like an okay sort.

"I am ready, and have all the supplies I need." She exclaimed as her alchemic device started up. Her eyes glowed as she floated off the ground, drawing gasps from everyone as she floated in the air.

"Is that all?" Bradley inquired, not sounding all that impressed. Tanya, figuring she needed to do something to impress, decided to play a little risk.

"You know, Your Excellency, you're not exactly well guarded." She commented as she figured it went big or go home. She then gestured with her hands as her multicolored aura appeared around her. And with another, all the weapons in the room were pointed on their owners! Alex, wearing his gauntlets, couldn't even move as though his gauntlets were weighed down by something heavy! "Like that." She said as she floated down, with everyone seemingly paralyzed in fear of being shot by their own guns.

Bradley, however, seemed calm despite his own sword pointed at his neck. "Well done, that is certainly impressive. Though the colorful display there.. hmm. I think I know the perfect name for you." He said with a chuckle, as he reached into his pocket. Tanya let go of her control of all the weapons. Bradley then tossed the object he had taken from his pocket, she stopped it in midair only to notice it was a silver pocket watch with a dog engraved on the front of it.

"Huh?" Tanya blinked as she processed what was going on.

"Congratulations on your passing of the State Exam, Pixie Alchemist. I look forward to watching your progress. Though if I may ask you something really quick?" Bradley said as he got up, and Tanya was surprised to see his blade already sheathed. '_He must've moved quickly while I was staring at the watch.'_

"Yes, Sir?" She asked with a salute, just in case he was even remotely upset about having his blade to his throat. She couldn't take too many risks in one day.

"Why did you decide to become a state alchemist?" He asked her directly.

"Because it was the only path."' She answered back simply. And Bradley's single eye widened as though she had moved him. He then smiled as though fond of her.

"Well now, you just keep getting more interesting by the second, Major Tanya Degurechaff. " Bradley waved her off and then took his leave.

Tanya blinked as the great leader of the country left her there. She immediately began to think of all the wondrous possibilities awaiting her in the near future; Things were going better than she could've dreamed. She even seemed to have the favor of the Fuhrer, if she wasn't misreading the situation.

She could see it all there, the great career awaiting her in the military. And sure, there was a civil war going on right now, but it seemed without a doubt that Amestris was the superior country to her. It had powerful state alchemists. And even if she had to end up fighting, her own alchemy was pretty potent; granted, that didn't mean she wanted to fight for that. It would be a waste of resources after all.

Regardless, she could milk this state alchemist position for all it was worth. Wealth and respect, everything was coming up for Tanya!

"THAT WAS INCREDIB-!" Tanya felt the wind being crushed out of her as she was lifted into a bear hug by a now shirtless Alex Armstrong. Struggling as much as she possibly could, her arms and head felt like they were being squished to dust. '_DAMN YOU BEING X THIS CAN'T BE HOW I DIE HERE! CRUSHED TO DEATH BY SOME WANNABE ADONIS!'_ Her soul screamed out desperately as Armstrong continued to bear hug her while babbling on in some fancy speech.

As her vision began to grow dark, she began to wonder if this really was the end. Then her life flashed before her eyes. back to their fateful first meeting; Where his sister Olivier had kneed him intensely. Tanya's eyes snapped back open wide as she gritted her teeth and mustering all that remained of her strength. It was likely that there was enough adrenaline pumping through her system, which gave the mighty kick to Armstrong's stomach, the power to knock all the wind out of him!

She was finally free! Tanya gasped for air as she could finally breathe. Armstrong seemed to realize what he had almost accidentally done even as he clutched his stomach in pain.

"My apologies, my lady. I've misjudged my strength as well as yours." Armstrong said with that dang sparkle in his eyes, despite the immense amount of pain he was feeling. His apology was lost on Tanya as she continued to try and catch her breath and she might have been a bit delirious.

"Nice try X, you bastard.." She huffed between breaths, still feeling a little light-headed.

"Whom?" Armstrong asked, in understandable confusion. Tanya broke out in a cold sweat finally coming back to her senses.

"It's nothing. Just an expression. Don't worry about it." She said trying to downplay her statement, lest she sounds like a crazy person. Armstrong laughed in good humor and she found herself laughing alongside him to try and ease some tension.

**The Fuhrer's Office**

Bradley sat in his chair taking out his writing supplies. "So another state alchemist, is it? Do you think this one might qualify?" A disembodied voice spoke into the room.

"Why yes, she will more than qualify. She even reminds me a bit of myself to be honest. A fascinating child, that Tanya Degurechaff." Bradley smirked as he continued writing the official documents that would label her as a dog of the military. A sudden knock at the door rumbled through the room, after which Bradley gave the okay to enter. It turned out to be one of his generals, and it seemed a meeting was taking place.In a nearby boardroom, sat several high-ranked individuals looking over the map of the known world; pieces laid over their country that was to the west of Amestris, while some on the eastern portion of Amestris, specifically on the Ishvalan part of the map, having created something oddly reminiscent of a game of chess.

"So everything is going according to plan is it?" Bradley asked while looking down on the map.

"Yes, sir. However, there has been word that Aerugo let some Creta forces through their lands into Ishval. So we might have some additional obstacles. But the extermination is going as planned." General Raven stated with a salute.

**A/N: And that was a long chapter. Seeya next time.**

**Omake: Test Results**

Edward looked at his state pocket watch that stated his new role in the world. It wouldn't get in the way of his goal to restore his body and his brother. So he allowed a small smirk to play across his face at his recent accomplishment.

"Not bad, Full Metal." Came the infuriating voice of Roy. Edward turned to look at him with a glare, before noticing that Roy was carrying a folder in his hands.

"What's that?" Ed inquired, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Your written test results. You scored a bit above average, Eighty out of One Hundred. I scored Eight One when I took my test," Roy let out with an exhausted sigh, despite his clear mockery of the young man's performance, "Only nine more points or so and I could have gained a fancy title."

"You're already a state alchemist, what would nine more points have possibly given you?" Edward hissed through gritted his teeth.

"The selection process for Alchemists is rather critical, Full Metal. Not too many are allowed to try at one time. But to answer your question; if I had scored higher, I would've been named as an Imperial Knight, and would've been made a 'Von'." Roy sighed as this would've made his goals of becoming the future ruler much easier.

"So what? Who needs a fancypants title like Von?" Edward said, prior to noticing the horrified expression upon Roy's face.

"Br-br-brother….?" Alphone's big metal body shook in fear, even as Edward remained blissfully unaware of the murderous aura behind him.

"'Fancypants title,' huh?" Edward gulped as he recognized the devil's voice. He turned around slowly, only for golden eyes to lock with the pale silver-blue eyes of one Tanya von Degurechaff accompanied by one of her subordinates. Despite the distressed looks of the cute brunette flailing her arms in an obvious warning sign, Tanya held a serene look on her face; on any other child, it would've been the definition of adorable. But to those under her command, and Edward Elric, he knew far too well what that meant.

"Briga-" Edward was caught off guard as he was engulfed in a flash of light and sent hurtling out of the building!

"BROTHER!" Alphonse shouted running out of the building to go and try to catch his brother flying high up in the sky.

Roy looked at the shooting star that was the fullmetal alchemist. Then he turned around with creaking sounds. "Beg pardon General but why did you do that?" He asked only to see Tanya turn on her heel.

"Come along now Second Lieutenant Serebryakov." Tanya said with a motioning hand. Visha gave an apologetic expression to Roy and then followed along after her General.


	5. Chapter Three: Prelude To Extermination

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or properties. Please Support the official release.**

Tanya was looking forward to the rest of her day; everything had gone fantastically. Aside from Armstrong nearly crushing her to death in a bearhug, she nearly had an anxiety attack in front of the ruler of Amestris.

"Hey, wait!" A raised voice caught Tanya's attention as she left the gate. She blinked, turning around to see a man in glasses with slightly messy black hair and a little stubble rushing towards her with some papers in his arms. Tanya gave him a salute and waited patiently for this guy. "You nearly forgot your test results. Not too shabby, getting ninety-six." The man smiled in a carefree manner as he handed her the papers. Tanya looked through papers impassively but was briefly surprised that she had a certificate announcing her acquisition of the title of Von. '_So I have some nobility now interesting.'_ Tanya resisted the urge to smirk.

"Thanks..?" She asked the man saluting her.

"Corporal Maes Hughes," The man introduced himself, wearing a good-natured smile. Tanya saluted him back before having turned on her heel, ready to enjoy her break time until she started her assignment in Central command. "Tanya?" Maes coughed into his hand, trying to get Tanya's attention.

"Yes, Corporal?" Tanya said, turning back politely. She couldn't tell much about this man outright, but it wouldn't do good for her to act hostile to her fellow soldiers. '_Even Armstrong.'_ She could tolerate her fellow alchemists, and perhaps he could be useful for the future as a good connection.

"I was thinking that, since you're new around Central. I could show you around.. I know this great place that has the best chocolates." Hughes offered to her. And Tanya liked to credit herself on knowing how to read people, and she didn't really see anything off about him. And if the worst were to happen, she was a still higher rank than him on top of having some nobility status.

She nodded to him with a shrug. What followed was a quick tour around the city, along with Hughes making some inane conversations. Tanya quickly learned the man was a lot smarter than he appeared; now if only he would stop gushing about his wonderful love life with the future 'Mrs. Hughes'.

"Say, Tanya, do you have anywhere to stay?" He asked her as they took their seats in a nice cafe. Unfortunately, much to her displeasure, they refused to serve a child any coffee. At the very least, she could enjoy some delicious chocolate treats.

"Outside of the military?" She asked him after swallowing down another chocolate treat. She hadn't even considered the possibility of having any residence outside of the military for now. While she could likely pull from her research funds to pay to stay somewhere, the young soldier had guessed she would at least be able to sleep in military quarters.

"I know this is a bit forward, but... if you want, you could stay with me and my fiance. It would be no trouble, and you could stay with us until you have enough pay outside of your research funds to buy your own place." Hughes surprised Tanya with such an offer. And she was a bit disbelieving in his generous nature.

"What's the catch?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. Hughes blinked, taken aback by her cynical nature, prior to letting out a laugh that took Tanya aback.

"Catch? Well, not really any catch. It's just for a while now, me and my fiance have thought about having our own kid.." He blushed, quickly flailing his hands around rapidly in a dismissive gesture. "Not that I'm suggesting adoption or anything. It's just when I see someone like you around.. I know that I can't convince you to leave the military. But I want to, at least, do what I can to help." He admitted while scratching the back of his head.

Tanya blinked, and then wore a sweet smile. "That's a nice offer. I guess I will take your offer. But, in the spirit of equivalent exchange, I will pay you back." She said with a giggle as a joke. Soon enough, the two were sharing a laugh, as she enjoyed more delicious chocolate treats; She inwardly wore a sly grin. '_And now that I have a connection, someone will be looking out for me, due to my age. He will probably be able to keep me informed of things, doubt it will be something clandestine; But this is a good start, might as well cultivate this relationship.'_

It didn't hurt that Hughes was remarkably efficient. On their trip around Central, Tanya had noticed how observant and quick-witted he was. It would be foolish to think of him as a cheesy goofball, and nothing else. The man was good at his job, and was mostly likely tied into an information position. Although Tanya had nothing against good-natured people, she wasn't a sadist or anything, so long as they could properly do their jobs.

"That's great to hear! Umm.. if you could give me a moment. I need to make a phone call. I will be right back." Hughes got out of his seat in the booth, leaving Tanya to enjoy her chocolates for a little while longer.

'_If he is in Intelligence as I suspect, then he'll have other ties. And if he has other 'Friends' then it stands to reason, he will let them know of me as well.' _She briefly sweatdropped, as she also realized he would likely need to call his fiance as well, to let him know of their arrangement.

Hughes, while outside the cafe, took one last backward look at Tanya enjoying her chocolates with a content look on her face. '_SO ADORABLE!'_ The grown man thought, hoping that one day he would have a daughter as adorable.. NO! Even more adorable than Tanya! He shook his head to snap back on focus. He first made a call to his fiance to let her know about the arrangement he had made with Tanya. Then made a second phone call, looking around just in case while whistling a casual tune. "Hey, Sally! It's me, Hughes. You would never believe what I met today~" He said in a borderline flirtatious tone that made passerby roll their eyes. "Aww don't take that tone with me. It's a really cute doggy, only nine-year-olds and already fully certified with all the works, even got a fancy title." On the other line somewhere down in Eastern Command, Roy Mustang was in a booth as he processed the information Hughes was feeding him.

"Nine years old, huh? That's a bit hard to believe May." He chuckled back. '_So a nine-year-old passed the state alchemist exam?'_ Roy wasn't sure how to process this information, part of him felt a bit disgusted that they would even consider letting a child into the military so easily. But on the other hand, the title of 'Von' they had received could prove useful for his climb in the ranks.

The only thing that bothered him about the situation he was in, beside the moral contemplation of his ambitions, was the fact that Hughes kept calling him Sally, code for Salamander in reference to his Flame Alchemy. After a little more general chat, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary for two friends.

Hughes eventually hung up. And as he made his way back to the cafe. '_Uh oh,' _Hughes realized he hadn't told Roy that Tanya was a girl. _'Well, it's not like it will affect anything.'_ He casually went back to the cafe and, despite Tanya's protests, ended up paying the bill. _'It seems Tanya doesn't like being indebted to anyone.'_ He noted as they made their way to the apartment he and his fiance were living in. He tried his best to continue some small talk with her. "So Tanya? Don't you have anything other than that small bag and pendant?" He inquired, looking at her pendant that was adorned with gold and transparent ruby lenses. Her pack was pretty small, but the zipper was slightly open enough that he could see a small change of clothes.

"That's all I have right now," Tanya stated, as though it was no big deal. "I didn't have much leftover from my hometown. It wasn't a bad orphanage, even managed to make do with what I had." She didn't feel like mentioning the mad doctor who had been of great help to her. _'I don't even know if he's still alive by this point. Probably in pieces thanks to his rocket experiments by now..'_ Tanya felt a bit strange at the thought; sure. she didn't have much affection for the madman, but she would admit that he had helped her develop, and his death would be a tragic loss of human capital.

"You're an orphan?" Tanya looked up at Hughes, seeing him tear up at the news of that. Her instincts were a fraction too late as Hughes grabbed her in a tight hug. Not as crushing as Armstrong's, but the way his stubble scratched against her face wasn't highly pleasant. She felt her eye twitch in annoyance, but ultimately, she would just have to endure.

"Welcome home dear~" A warm feminine voice exclaimed as they made their way in, making Tanya look away as much as she could. The girl had noticed a kind-looking woman not that much shorter than Hughes. ' ' had short blonde hair, with emerald green eyes. She blinked as she noticed Tanya in Hughes' hug. "Oh, is that Tanya?" The woman asked happily.

"Gracia~" Hughes let go of Tanya and rushed to his fiance. Gracia giggled as she was embraced by her lover. Tanya almost wanted to roll her eyes from the sheer lovey-dovey nature of it all. But she gratefully shook hands with Gracia, who thought Tanya was one of the most adorable children she knew up to that point.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." Tanya said with a charming smile. Gracia seemed to be a good sort, contrary to what that bastard X said about Tanya; In truth, she could actually be quite civil. She wouldn't deny that in both her old life and this new one, she hadn't always been the most empathetic. But in her defense, she had never deliberately gone out of her way to harm anyone, nor did she break any laws. She followed the laws both written and unspoken, and as for people that she layed off, it wasn't like she had been an ass or anything like that. It was more due to their own failures in their jobs. If they hadn't wanted to lose their jobs, then they should've worked better and made themselves more valuable.

"Have you eaten yet?" Gracia asked Tanya with a kind smile on her face. Tanya would've replied about how she and Hughes had eaten at a cafe not that long ago when Hughes piped up.

"You should really try my fiance's cooking. It's the best food in Central!" Hughes practically shouted to where the whole city could hear him. Gracia had a slight blush on her face, while Tanya let out a sigh.

'_Well, so long as they're offering, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get more food.' _Tanya reluctantly thought, nodding in acceptance. Following the couple, Tanya noted the nice apartment building they lived in. The whole place had a pleasant vibe to it all, that made Tanya want to lower her guard. _'I will still be on the watch of course, but stressing over all the little details isn't good for health.'_ Tanya knew when to keep a healthy amount of paranoia, and a small amount of trust. The apartment had a bedroom, a bathroom, a living room, and a kitchen.

"I know it's a little small. But once Maes moves up in rank, we will get someplace bigger." Gracia claimed with a blush. Tanya nodded in understanding, realizing what she meant.

"It's no trouble, I don't mind sleeping on the couch," Tanya stated nonchalantly, with a shrug of her shoulders. "I've been in worse situations." She explained as she continued to look around the room. She was rather surprised at feeling a large hand on her head, looking up to the owner, who had an understanding smile on his face.

"Tanya, you're a guest here. I will sleep on the couch. You can sleep in the bed with Gracia. You're both girls after all." He said with a chuckle, even as Tanya struggled to keep her jaw from dropping. She couldn't for the life of her understand why he was being so damn generous.

'_He must be doing it for something, there has to be a catch here somewhere.'_ Tanya pondered to herself even as Gracia set out some dishes for them. And yet, even after spending several hours with them, not once did any subject of payment come up. Of course, Hughes had stated something like this before. But Tanya remain unconvinced that there wasn't some hidden hook waiting for her. As the sun fully set and only the stars could be seen outside, the young alchemist began to wonder if she was being _too _paranoid while she followed Gracia into the bedroom, carrying her pack with spare clothes.

After she changed into her nightgown, Tanya took a moment to look upon her pendant, the source of her alchemy and something she couldn't have crafted if she hadn't had the help from that mad doctor. '_Is it a trait of this country, for humans to just help each other without seeking something in immediate return?'_ It almost sounded like Communism to Tanya, something she despised with every fiber of her being.

"Are you coming to bed, Tanya?" Gracia asked the little girl still staring at her pendant. After carefully pinning it to her nightgown, Tanya got into bed alongside the grown woman. Tanya still hadn't gotten used to her new body, so she felt awkward around the same sex. As she raised the covers up to her chin and layed on her side. Gracia took one look at the child, and she wondered if someone like her was lonely. It actually made the soon-to-be wife feel sorry for someone like Tanya. She didn't know the kid all that well having only just met her, but it seemed like the girl was isolated from everyone.

After Tanya had fallen asleep, Gracia stayed up a few minutes afterward. She headed to the kitchen, and Maes was already there getting a late-night snack. Gracia crossed her arms in disapproval. "Really? Getting extra dessert at this time of night? Are you sure Tanya is the kid in this house?" Gracia teased him, even as she tapped her foot on the ground. Hughes looked guilty with stuffed pie in his face.

**Central Command War Room**

King Bradley looked at the map in barely restrained rage. "Any of you care to explain the situation to me? This morning I was told the extermination was going according to plan. What happened?" The Fuhrer wore a look of displeasure that frightened many of his generals, Save for two in particular.

"Your Excellency," spoke the first one, his eyes seemed to be perpetually closed. When they were open, they held a piercing blue color with complimentary short grey hair, and was rather slender compared to his fellow generals. This was General Zettour, a well-respected general in Investigations, being known for his brilliant mind. "If I may be so bold. I would daresay that we underestimated Creta this time." He proposed much to the shock of everyone except his friend Russeldorf.

Russeldorf was a sharp man as well, though his body was rotund from just a bit too much alcohol. And it was rare to see the man without a cigar. He looked more like a kindly grandpa when not enraged, his black eyes watched the fuhrer expectantly.

"Is that right?" Bradley commented in a calm manner, before smiling slightly. "Do tell." He said allowing Zettour to continue.

"Russeldorf and I noticed the attacks on our supply trains couldn't have possibly been carried out by their black bat gliders. Sure they can carry around grenades, but before our supply trains got blown up, one of the soldiers managed to get a picture of what attacked them." Russeldorf took out a photo and put it on the table.

The men were confused by what they saw, the only words they could use to describe the object shown in the picture was some kind of flying vehicle. Far different than the gliders that the Black Bats of Creta were infamous for.

"So the Black Bats have upped their air superiority." Bradley mused, and if the generals didn't know any better, they might've thought that he was actually impressed by them. "No matter, it seems 'Executive Order 3066' will have to be moved ahead of schedule," Bradley announced to the surprise of the generals save for Russeldorf and Zettour.

"But sir, some of these alchemists have never seen actual combat before!" General Raven protested vehemently.

"The only reason we accepted most of these alchemists was for their potential in combat." Bradley pointed out in response.

"And what will we do about the Creta Air forces? We have nothing akin to that save for the rockets that madman, Shugel, has been developing. And even then those are long-range weapons that can only be fired from the ground!" Raven exclaimed, having brought up seemingly sound arguments.

"It just so happens we do have something in the way of air superiority. Not too long ago this day, we gained a new state alchemist." Bradley explained with a smirk. He then gestured for Lieutenant Colonel Lergen to fetch some a folder on recent state alchemists.

Lergen was a promising face in the Amestrian military, having risen through the ranks relatively quickly. He was well known for his character and sound, rational mind. He brought out the file without delay and put it down on the table.

Everyone's jaws opened at the contents of the file. This new state alchemist was only a child?! While they had heard rumors of the Pixie Alchemist, they hadn't fully heard the details just yet.

While most of the generals thought about protesting. Lergen looked at the file with both shock and horror. Lergen couldn't quite believe that a child had willingly signed up into the military as a state dog. And she had held the king of their nation with a sword to his throat! Lergen couldn't shake the feeling that this 'Tanya Von Degurechaff' was much more dangerous than her files showed. He felt like tearing out his hair.

Zettour and Russeldorf, on the other hand, were starting to get ideas in their heads. There was no doubt that this Pixie Alchemist would be a great weapon against the Cretan Airpower.

"Now.. If there are no more objections, I expect the order to be given out as soon as possible." Bradley spoke up in a commanding voice that brokered no argument.

**Ishval**

The war of extermination was hell. On both sides Amestrian and Ishvallan, there was hatred of many types. The Ishvallans still hated the Amestrians for the innocent child's life taken by a random Amestrian soldier. And the Amestrians grieved for every brother-in-arms taken from them in this senseless war, but above all, they knew that if the command was given than they had to do their duty right?

Not that the arrival of Creta and Aerugo forces helped the matter any. The neighboring nations just couldn't seem to keep to themselves, and were, no doubt, enacting revenge against Amestris for its actions of the past and their own political agendas.

These were the thoughts that went through a particular man's head. He pulled the lever in his plane opening the hatch underneath, releasing a barrage of bombs onto unsuspecting Amestrian soldiers taking out at least two or three battalions from what he could see up in the air.

Anson Sue didn't much like war, but his nation had called on him to serve. He looked fondly at the picture he had attached to his dashboard with longing. '_I am sorry Mary for being such a poor father. But I swear to you, when this war is over, I will put down my rifle. And be the father you deserve.'_ He looked at his beloved wife in the picture as well with tears in his eyes. _'Every day I thank God for blessing me with such gifts. So I won't allow anything to happen to them. Amen.'_ He finished his silent prayer while looking at the fires he and his men had created. With most of the ground infantry on Amestris' side demolished, it would allow the Ishvallans and Creta's own ground forces to work in tandem in pushing the Amestrians out of Ishval.

Though Amestris didn't know it yet, if Creta managed to hold out long enough and succeed; Aerugo would join in on the attack, and they would cut a line straight to Central.

As they flew back to the center of Ishval, Anson pondered if this war would truly be as easy as the politicians made it out to be. But as he flew ever closer to the ground, seeing Creta forces hand out medical and food supplies to the Ishvallans recovering from the war of extermination. He felt in his heart and soul that they were in the right here. _'God must be on our side, so our victory will be ensured!'_ Anson may have despised the politician's ulterior motives, but he couldn't deny the good they were doing for the Ishvallans.

As his plane landed and fully settled, Anson looked at his subordinates with pride. They had been a rather rambunctious company when they had first started out. They had been with him even before this war had begun. "Thor, get out the sweets, and give them to the kids in the next building over.." Anson advised his second in command, figuring they could at least give the kids something to look forward to, besides not dying.

Anson was convinced that no matter what happened, they had to win this war.

**A/N: This was a nice relaxing chapter. And fun to write. Also as always thanks to my editor, who I won't say who it is. Just know that it's thanks to them that my story is hopefully decent.**

**Cat Eyes: Thank you kindly. I will continue to try my best here.**

**Knight of Zaku: Thank you very much, and I'm looking forward to that as well.**

**Alehhandro: Thank you. And we will see.**

**Quick Update: No X isn't going to show up in this story, Yes Anson and Mary are here. But they won't be getting any miracle divine super power up. They are in the story but no X intervention.**

**Omake: Breakfast**

Tanya woke up with a yawn, after looking around the bedroom. She got dressed and then headed into the kitchen, where Hughes was nursing a big bump on his head, while Gracia was finishing up a delicious smelling breakfast.

She even had the coffee ready. "Would it be alright if I got a cup to drink?" Tanya asked politely, rubbing her eyes from the well-earned sleep. Gracia nodded, still focused on finishing up what had seemed to be pancakes. Tanya got up struggling with her small height to reach a glass. Luckily, Hughes got it for her, and then went back to his seat as she went over to the Coffee.

"Tanya, dear, you can't have that. If you drink it, it will stunt your growth.." Gracia said gently, with a quaint undertone of forcefulness. Tanya sleepily looked to the older woman before sighing in defeat; it seemed she would have to go without the glory that was coffee for her morning.


	6. Chapter Four: Argent's Crucible Part One

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or properties. Please support the official release.**

**Ishval Two Weeks Later**

Anson couldn't believe that the Amestrian forces were pulling back. It all seemed like a miracle to the hardened veteran; they were winning.

"Sir, the backup force from Creta has arrived," His second-in-command, Thor, reported with a hearty laugh which Anson couldn't help, but laugh along.

"Seems like you're having a good time without me already," A familiar voice rocked Anson to his core. He turned around seeing her, and to be honest, he was honestly shocked to see her. He then smiled and rushed to her, wrapping his arms around her. She was a beautiful woman, with the lushest, dark coffee-colored hair. Though she had it tied up in a ponytail to better keep it out of her eyes, her emerald green eyes twinkled with amusement.

"Maria, why are you here?" Anson asked his wife in disbelief. He had heard she was still training recruits back home at the main airbase.

"The Brass wants this war to be wrapped up as soon as possible. And before you ask, Mary will be staying with my mother until we get back," Maria stated with confidence in her voice that lifted Anson's spirits.

"Did you at least bring some booze?" Thor jokingly asked. The atmosphere lightened greatly at the joke. Soon everyone was laughing in friendly camaraderie, even if the war seemed like it would be a long stretch.

'_At least we know that the Amestrians don't have anything to counter our aerial superiority. Now we just need to capitalize on that notion..' _Anson thought to himself before Maria pulled him in for a kiss, causing more raucous cheers.

As the music began playing off an old radio, Maria gave him a knowing look and an offer of her hand that told him what to do next. He smiled back, before wrapping one arm around her and using the other to hold her own. While the loving couple began to slow dance, his men had decided to join in, having found their partners in a few ishvalans, as well as each other.

Although Anson was usually a hardass, taking his duty seriously. He knew that you should enjoy the calm peace where you could before the real storm began. So, just for the night, he allowed himself to drift off to the tune of the music, matching the love of his life step for step as she rested her head on his chest.

Into the night, they danced blissfully unaware of what would lie on the horizon for them. How many would fall, and the consequences of it all in the coming years.

**Central Command One Week earlier**

Tanya could feel her eye twitching madly, as she looked at the paper in her hands. _**[Executive Order 3066, an order to call all state alchemists for war in Ishval]**_. '_Damn it! I wasn't expecting this so soon!' _She had known that there was a good chance she would get sent into combat, but a small part of her had hoped it wouldn't have anything to do with war. She hated wars, ultimately seeing them as wasteful and therefore evil.

Though that wasn't the only reason she was shaking so much. She was here at Central Command, called for personally by Fuhrer King Bradley. The young soldier inhaled, trying her best to calm her nerves before she had to see the military's ruler. She straightened out her uniform, getting rid of any creases upon the blue uniform, prior to putting on her cap and walking into Bradley's office. The first thing she noticed was that he wasn't alone, as two generals were also in the office as well. She gave a perfect salute to all three.

"Major Tanya Von Degurechaff, reporting," She stated, matter of factly. King Bradley nodded at her salute, then she dropped it.

"Major, It's good to see you again. This is Zettour and Russeldorf, you and every other alchemist will be following their orders." She shook hands with the two generals, making sure to remember their names, only for them to leave, surprising Tanya.

'_So then, there must be something in mind for me. Besides the obvious introductions..'_ Tanya deduced, deciding to keep her calm. She wasn't just nervous due to the sudden involvement which pushed her to war, but the research she had done in the library, three weeks prior to this meeting, had left her paranoid.

In her research in the library, she had realized something strange. Amestris was an old nation; from it's beginning, it showed immense power and, combined with its alchemy, the nation seemed to be unrivaled in its military might and strategy. '_And yet.. it seemed to stop it's expansion a long time ago, even before Creta had a chance to exist. Aerugo is less advanced than Amestris, yet we haven't wiped them out. I am no warmonger, but, oddly, Amestris keeps to itself. If I didn't know any better, most would think there is a conspiracy, not that I can outright state otherwise. For all I know, this could be X messing with me somehow. Nevertheless, it's odd that Amestris has never tried to expand, and combine that with its strict borders.' _Tanya kept her remarkably calm demeanor as she waited for Bradley to speak.

"I have something in mind for your unique talents," Bradley stated, placing a folder on his desk. He slowly rifled through its contents, allowing Tanya to see the pictures taken of Cretan Airplanes. "We're having some trouble with Creta in the aerial combat department. However, your alchemy might just be the key to countering their advantage." Bradley declared.

Tanya fidgeted slightly at those words. "Sir, I am grateful for your faith in me," She began trying her best to remain calm, despite the steely nature Bradley gave off which made it feel like she was under intense weight. "But I don't think I can use my alchemy for such levels of combat yet. I don't have that kind of experience.." She declared nervously.

"Are you saying that you haven't been improving since we last met?" Bradley narrowed his eye, his voice carrying a hard edge.

"N-no sir, I have been making improvements, but this is a bit of a learning curve you're throwing me towards," Tanya said, trying to contain her nervousness. "I am not opposed to these orders, however, Sir." Tanya trailed off, knowing that being a coward would get her the worst possible jobs or worse.

"Good to hear Major. You're to report to Cretan Front for further instructions," Bradley spoke, turning his attention towards the files before him as a sign for her to part ways, a signal she read clearly. "Oh, and before you leave, one last thing Major.."

"Yes, sir?" She asked as her hand reached the door handle.

"Make sure you learn quickly," King Bradley commanded with that signature smile of his, the kind that cemented most people's thoughts of a caring ruler.

"Yes, sir." She responded with a tip of her hat, and another perfect salute. Then she headed on her way out, leaving Bradley alone with his thoughts while another soldier made his way in.

"So that's the new pipsqueak alchemist.. She doesn't seem like much to me," An androgynous entity with long green dreadlocks huffed, having waited a few minutes after she entered the room.

"Envy. Did he approve of the mission I have in store for you?" Bradley inquired of Envy, as they sat on his desk swinging their bare legs around.

"Aye he did, heck he was even surprised I think that you would ask him for something. I didn't think you had it in you to take charge like that King Bradley." Envy sneered with a malicious smirk.

"Hmm, perhaps I just recognize the need to take action now and again.." Bradley said with a smile, with his eye closed.

"Or is that 'Pixie' rubbing off on you?" Envy teased back, which earned a glare from Bradley's opened eye. "Yeesh, okay okay, I will drop it then." Envy leaped up and off the desk, ominous red lightning crackling around it as they transformed back into a common-looking soldier. "I will get that mission done _your excellency_, just make sure you don't fail in the extermination.." Envy then walked out of the office.

Elsewhere in Central, every other alchemist had been gathering with each other. A man sat with his hands in his pockets, he was wearing the standard blue uniform, though his jacket unbuttoned showing off the white undershirt. He had long black hair, with two stray bangs that never seemed to be in place, and piercing gray eyes. Solf J. Kimblee, known as the Crimson Lotus Alchemist, looked around the room at everyone gathered. He recognized quite a few faces. There was that bleeding-heart Isaac, the Freezing Alchemist. The man looked guilty to even be in the same building with the rest of his fellow alchemists. Basque and Jack were the same as usual, keeping to themselves with an air of professionalism. '_How dull of them,'_ Kimblee thought to himself while looking around the room to see the Strong-Arm Alchemist interacting with the only non-combatant alchemist on their side, the famous Tim Marcoh. Well known for his groundbreaking research into medical alchemy, Kimblee didn't think much of his fellow alchemists, though the most annoying to him was, without a doubt, the Flame Alchemist himself, Roy Mustang. Kimblee practically felt nothing but disgust when it came to Mustang's naive idealism.

Shortly after Solf had entered the room of mediocrity, the door opened catching everyone's attention as the last alchemist due for the scheduled meeting arrived. Now this one had him curious, as he had only heard such vague details about her. They all knew about the youngest State Alchemist in history. The alchemist who could have decapitated the nation's great leader, the Pixie Alchemist; Tanya Von Degurechaff.

Kimblee chuckled to himself at all the reactions of his fellow alchemists. All of them couldn't seem to believe the reality in front of them. A little girl was going to join them right into hell. But Kimblee was thinking something much different when he looked upon the Pixie Alchemist's face. Those silver eyes, and that expression on her face. Oh yes, he could tell she was just as warped as he was, it brought a grin to his face. '_Well now, this should be fairly interesting at the very least..' _He now held a minor obsession to talk to her and see what made her tick.

"Now that all you Alchemists are here, be seated and we shall begin the debriefing." Russeldorf exhaled some thick cigar smoke. Kimblee made his way over toward the young Tanya, though became slightly annoyed as Mustang and Alex seemed to be headed her way as well. Still, the Crimson Lotus Alchemist wouldn't be deterred from his goal, sitting directly to her left, while Mustang sat on the right of her, and Alex loomed over them all from behind.

Roy ran his hands through his short black hair, before blinking open his dark grey eyes. He looked at Kimblee with a lack of a better word, suspicion. Roy had heard plenty about the Crimson Lotus, and they weren't exactly good rumors. Kimblee had a twisted reputation of sorts, so Roy didn't want to take the risk of Kimblee doing something to Tanya. Though, Roy couldn't help but stare at the young alchemist beside him. _'Hughes told me that she was young, but this little girl…'_ Roy still couldn't quite believe his own eyes. And a part of him felt guilty about thinking how he could potentially use Tanya in his own climb for power.

Alex found a reason to flex in the background, while he waited for the meeting to truly get underway. Tanya, however, remained utterly serene, despite the intense tension she felt between Mustang and Kimblee.

"As of today, Executive Order 3066 shall be carried out. You alchemists will serve as a new type of unit that Operations has been planning for a while," Russeldorf let a pause hang for any questions.

"Does that mean we will be in the thick of it?" Kimblee questioned with a smirk, causing Roy to grimace at the man while Tanya kept her eyes on Russeldorf.

"Or are we acting as a specialized unit to be deployed wherever we're needed?" Tanya followed in her own inquiry with surprising clarity. Needless to say, Russeldorf looked stunned at her question.

"That is correct," Russeldorf answered, impressed by the young girl amongst grown men and women. Like many others within the same room, he had heard of the young alchemist. Though what truly impressed him was how forthright she was compared to her other, better seasoned, peers. The professionalism this small girl held was the most outstanding of her qualities, making Russeldorf feel the need to have a talk later with the Fuhrer. He would hate for this young girl's potential to go to waste as he had quite enjoyed the fire in her eyes; truly she had the makings of the ideal soldier despite being their first true encounter of stratagem. The general quickly exchanged a look with Zettour and Lergen. Colonel Lergen stepped up carrying a set of detailed maps concerning Ishval. Once they were set up, the general began speaking once more. "While it's true that you alchemists boast great destructive potential, against two foreign invading armies, we can't take the chance of wasting you. Instead, we will use you in key strategic points across all of Ishval." With a swift glance and nod to his comrade, Russeldorf stepped back from the podium, to let Zettour speak.

"Ishval has been well fortified on all fronts since the neighboring countries of Creta and Aerugo stepped in to prop up its defenses. They destroyed all our train networks, and their aerial forces constantly patrol and harass any attempts to cross the borders. As to why they haven't pushed further inland yet, it's likely they've been waiting for additional reinforcements. In other words, if we don't break through their solid defense, they could capitalize and begin a counterattack." Zettour let his words hang in the air with a sense of grave urgency.

There was palpable tension within the room as the Alchemists processed his words. It was a heavy burden being responsible for protecting your nation, while also carrying out the extermination of the people that used to be part of it.

"That being said, we do have a plan to draw them out.." Zettour's piercing eyes graceful flowed through the audience before having settled on Tanya. She didn't like that she was being relied on as a lynchpin in this whole plan. Especially since if she failed or fled like a coward, there went all her hard work down the drain.

"We shall strike the northern border of Ishval, draw out their aerial defenses, and then, when they are hopefully crushed, We will capitalize on breaking straight through. For Amestris!" Russeldorf made the salute, and every other alchemist stood at attention, returning the salute. "Dismissed!" He ended the meeting.

Tanya was looking forward to a brief respite, before the inevitable march to hell. But it seemed like she wouldn't be so lucky as Kimblee and Roy followed her. She could already feel the tension from earlier creeping back.

"So Kimblee, you actually showed up?" Roy asked absentmindedly, adjusting his iconic gloves.

"Why Mustang, I am offended by your suggestion.." Kimblee uttered with a smirk. Tanya rolled her eyes as the two men continued to hurl veiled insults at each other. She kept up her brisk pace in the hopes they would lose sight of her, or get drawn into whatever personal beef they had with one another.

"Oh, come now! We're all friends here," The all too familiar charismatic voice of Maes pierced Tanya's ears. And she could hear him put his arms around both Mustang and Kimblee. She sighed as she knew what would come next. "Isn't that right, Tanya?" Maes asked her.

"Good to see you too, Maes." Tanya turned with a salute.

"Aww, no need to be so formal Tanya. How about we go to the cafe for a brief chat?" Maes suggested, and Tanya tried to not sigh. She knew there was no arguing with that tone in his voice.. Well, she could but then he would just keep pressing her and, at worst, bring out those puppy dog eyes!

Roy shared the same sympathetic, knowing look with the young alchemist. He was familiar with Hughes' famous persistence; in truth, it was both an endearing trait, but a bit annoying sometimes. The very thought of spending his off time with the likes of Mustang made Kimblee grimace at the strangely cheery man. But, if it was such a minor price to pay to get his answers, he could tolerate the self-righteous idealist and meat-headed oaf for a little while longer. After all; What truly beats beneath the Pixie's wings? Despite his urge to simply remove Hughes arm wrapped upon his shoulders, his grimace gradually changed to that of a smile, even if it was a bit forced, he nodded to Maes' request and followed along to the cafe.

With such a bizarre-looking group, the party swiftly drew attention from several civilians. _'It's not like I can't understand their reactions, after all. State Alchemists already have the stigma of working with the military. But being told to kill Amestris' own people isn't going to help our reputation.'_ Tanya felt somewhat annoyed for being lumped in with her fellow state alchemists, as she hated the very idea of war. The only hope she had was the fact they could get this war over as soon as possible. Much to her dismay, she looked at the "merry band of misfits" she had to call colleagues, utterly shocked at the sight of Armstrong who had been strolling alongside them without making a single sound the entire time.

Walking into the cafe, the little girl was pleased to find that there was a sale on their signature sweets and a booth big enough to hold the five of them. When she sat in the large party booth, Maes slid in beside her without hesitation, making Kimblee smirk as he figured this would be a good opportunity to get closer. This was short-lived, however, noticing the giant shadow looming over him, craning his neck to look behind his shoulder to finally acknowledge the oddly protective Armstrong leering him over. Instead of the usual oafish look that some swore was like sparkles, a vehement look had been molded upon his statuesque face, being more akin to the intense thunder that accompanied his alchemy. The disdain Kimblee held for the mountain of a man nearly cracked the ever-present mask he wore, only to regain his composure at the sight of the Flame Alchemist across from him.

Needless to say, ordering food came easy enough for all of them. Unfortunately, Tanya couldn't order coffee while Maes was there. She knew he would likely tattle on her to Gracia, and Tanya was oddly more comfortable with the possibility of risking life on the battlefield then getting lectured by the future Mrs. Hughes.

"So, it won't be long until we're all off to war in the name of home and country," Kimblee stated after their drinks arrived. Tanya was envious that she was the only one not allowed to drink coffee, but she could tolerate a glass of milk for today. "What about you though, Pixie? What do you think of this 'war'?" Kimblee asked her with an intense expression on his face.

"The Brass tells us to shoot, so we shoot. That's all there is to it." Tanya answered bluntly, taking a sip of her milk. Maes immediately looked concerned at her comment, and Roy couldn't help but speak up while Kimblee grinned.

"You don't find any of this strange?" Mustang spoke clearly, the anger in his voice palpable but not enough to lose hold of himself. In truth, he knew it wouldn't do well to be so vocal in public about his reservations. "Those are our people; One of our own soldiers shot and killed a child, and they fought back. Don't they have a right to stand up for themselves?" Mustang spoke with a tone that reminded Tanya of people she used to know back in her old life. She had known people as idealistic as Mustang, who wanted things for the better. However, she pitied them to an extent as much as she could find some admiration in them. When they could look past their daydreams, they could achieve a lot, but often than not, cold hard reality would break them down before they could accomplish anything.

"It doesn't matter what any of us think really," Kimblee interjected with an air of indifference, surely made to annoy his 'colleague'. "It's as she said; if they tell us to shoot, we keep shooting until they say we no longer have to. Besides, do you really think they would've accepted any of us as State Alchemists if our Alchemy wasn't especially suited for war?" Kimblee's snide rhetorical question swiftly earned him a glare from across the table.

"Of course you would think that, Kimblee." Roy stated, feeling slightly annoyed at Kimblee and at himself for falling for such blatant goads. But he wasn't going to let the Crimson Alchemist get under his skin too far.

"What's the matter, Flame Alchemist? You seem rather perturbed," Kimblee smirked as he leaned back and played around with his pocket watch. "If you didn't join the military to serve your country, then could it be that you had ulterior motives?" Kimblee inquired in a cutting tone. Roy's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, before turning back into a glare. The edge of Kimblee's lip curled grew much wider, knowing he had struck a nerve.

Tanya was internally cursing her own luck for being in such a pitiful situation. She would hate to die as collateral damage between two opposing ideologies.

"Or maybe, I don't see the actual point of this war. What do we gain from making part of our own country a living hell? We started this war, and yet, no one aside from Creta and Aerugo came to the defense of Ishval." Roy replied.

"Regardless of the reason behind this war, it's there, and it has been declared. And as soldiers, we must carry out our duty, regardless of personal beliefs. Trying to exit this war would be an insult and the breaking of the oath you took as a soldier." Kimblee chuckled prior to pulling his attention back towards the group.

"It's still not right. We are slaughtering innocent people, for practically no reason!" Roy objected fiercely pounding his fist on the table, which made the whole cafe silent.

"Tch." Kimblee's fingers began to twitch as he eyed the man across the booth, a sign of Roy's sheer idealism getting under his skin. "How foolishly arrogant of you.. to act as though you expected to be some brave hero off to save the day. Save the girl and live happily ever after. But you seemed to forget that those bandits you slew on the way to the big bad monster were people too. With hopes and dreams, and families.. There is no such thing as a good war; no such thing as right or wrong in war. Only the laws that men have set in place, man-made laws by the victors. So do all of us a favor; shut up, put on your gloves and burn everyone that gets in Amestris' way!"A more serious, sinister tone hissed from Kimblee's throat as he hung his head and glared, the facade behind the fading smile finally showing its crack the longer he looked upon Mustang.

"And what if we can do things better?!" Roy shouted back, shifting the table as he stood in place while Kimblee's grip upon his watch turned to iron. _'Naive Fool..' _Kimblee's thought, becoming tinged with a shade similar to his namesake. He didn't hate the nature of idealism, but the ignorant hypocrisy of those like Roy Mustang was, admittedly, driving his tolerance short.

Although it was merely a rumor that Roy had lofty ambitions to become the next Fuhrer, Kimblee did begin to ponder upon it. All of it was baseless and unconfirmed, but if even a single ounce of it was true.. Well, it could be interesting, to say the least. Would he actually hold steadfast to his self-righteous morality? Or would he compromise them on the climb? Though deep down he would never admit it, that was one of the few things Kimblee actually respected about the Flame Alchemist; the fact that he had to know what he might need to give up, and yet he was persistent in his goal.

Despite the relatively calm demeanor, Maes could feel Kimblee's underlying intent beneath the placid aura on his face. He turned to Armstrong to try and divert the argument before it could boil into something worse. "Hey Alex, what do you think of this war?" He asked, feeling a little guilty as all eyes were now on the gentle giant of an alchemist.

Armstrong ran his hand through the stubble that would one day become a glorious mustache. "Though I understand your apprehension to fight, we must always be ready to quell descent," He commented in an even tone, clearly understanding both sides of the conflict. "Surely, King Bradley has gotten some intel about rebellion, lest he wouldn't send us to deal with it." He finished poignantly, hoping that someone higher up knew what they were doing.

"In the end, we're way past the point of negotiations. The only thing left to do is to carry out the orders we're given. And keep fighting, until we no longer have to." Tanya declared with a heavy sigh. Kimblee seemed satisfied with the answer the little soldier gave before he steadily got up from the booth and tipped his hat before heading out. _'Marvelous. Simply marvelous, I can't wait to see what symphony of destruction she will unleash on the battlefield.'_ Once he was gone, Tanya began speaking once again. "And Gentlemen, remember your job is to follow orders. It's all a matter of responsibility. Now if you wouldn't mind, I must go prepare." She said politely enough, causing the remaining men to contemplate. The second shifting of the table occurred as Armstrong made way for her exit, bowing to her politely.

It would be several minutes after she was gone before the last three spoke up once again. "You know.. I think she was being kind to us in her own way," Maes commented while watching through the windows as the blonde alchemist walked down a street, "I think she was trying to say that.. whatever happens, it's not so much our fault as it is the fault of those in charge."

Armstrong began to shed manly tears, thinking of the burden that was surely resting on that poor girl's shoulders, while Mustang began to wonder just what kind of person was actually she? He began to consider that perhaps Lergen had a point, but wasn't quite sure yet just what kind of person 'Tanya Von Degurechaff' would turn out to be. Only time would tell him that for certain; she would either turn out to be their greatest alchemist or a devil in the form of a little girl.

**Ishval Now**

It had taken a few hours to get everything in order; making everyone familiar with the layout of Ishval, and getting them supplied for the harsh weather. Tanya had to make adjustments to her white coat, that was intended to combat the harsh heat of the desert. She checked her pistol and rifle once more, grateful that Shugel had given her some basic shooting lessons. But she was still far from an expert with a gun let alone a rifle. But she would have to make do with what experience she had so far.

She looked back at the other soldiers and alchemists on standby. It was nearly time to begin the operation that would shake out the Cretans from Ishval, and hopefully carry out this war of extermination with no further fuss. Tanya, for as much as she had stated that killing was to be done if the Brass said so, still had some reservations. If it was to preserve her own life, she could probably take a life, although she did despise the waste of human capital

However, she was more worried about the aftermath. _'Right now, it is seen as our rightful mission to slaughter the Ishvalans. But I've heard vague rumors, and I know that not everyone is in support of King Bradley. I am not so damn foolish to try a coup or anything. And I don't need to leave Amestris anytime soon. Still, I need to find a way to keep my hands as clean as possible. Because, today, killing Ishvals might be seen as glorious, but the next day it could all too easily become war crimes. I won't fall for your damn trap, X.'_ Tanya sighed as Russeldorf finished debriefing everyone on the strategy as a reminder.

It was finally showtime for the Pixie Alchemist, adjusting her pendant under her new white flight suit one last time before her eyes glowed that familiar silver color. And, after saluting Russeldorf, she effortlessly flew off into the skies soaring high and fast much to the shock and awe of her fellow soldiers.

To some, with her cute appearance dressed in all white, it was almost like she was an angel on high from god himself, sent to them to punish their enemies with his divine judgment. To those who truly knew her, mainly Kimblee, Roy, and Lergan, They would've said she looked akin to a vampire, with her abnormal pale complexion. And intense stare that seemed to pierce their very souls.

Tanya continued to climb higher into the arid skies, soaring past several birds along the way. Several times, she had to adjust her goggles so the sand wouldn't blow in her eyes, while careful to not look into the harsh rays of the sun. It wouldn't be long now until she was at an optimal height to overlook all of Ishval. Once she was there, she stopped in midair. Before reaching into the pack she had attached to her flight suit, she took out the radio receiver stored inside.

"Control, this is Pixie. I am in position, awaiting further instructions. Over." She announced, briskly taking in the view of her accomplishment as static filled the silence.

"Roger, Pixie. This is Control. Continue with your secondary objective until the Cretans show up. Over." As the static cut out, she dug her free hand to reach into her pack, taking out a pair of binoculars. It was quite ingenious really to use her flight advantage to get a unique bird's eye view of the battlefield, causing her to wonder if she could keep doing this line of work, instead of being asked to slaughter Amestris' enemies.

Anson was stunned as he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Not a few hours ago, he had heard the Amestrians were pulling out from all sides. But now, they were focused on one side?

"Sir, we're getting slaughtered out there! It's almost like they got some kind of scout plane watching us. They couldn't possibly have aerial power, could they?!" Thor couldn't believe how easily the Amestrians seemed to be beating out the Ishvalan guerrillas.

"We need to get the planes. Now!" Anson commanded what needed to be done. He grabbed his helmet, and then Maria grabbed hers. "Maria, you need to stay on the grou-" He was cut off with the look on her face. That damned look that had made him fall in love with her, clearly she was coming with him and there would be no argument. He sighed reassuringly since she was one hell of a co-pilot.

They didn't have many planes in Ishval just yet, as Creta still had its own civil war back home to deal with. Unfortunately, Maria had told him, when she first arrived, after their dance that the civil war had flared back up again, meaning they would have to make do with the planes at their disposal, with requesting for any more would be a burden to their cause. _'Those damn Milosians joining up with the Separatists at the last moment. They are delaying our backup from both home and Aerugo!'_ It made Anson worry briefly about his daughter. But right now, he needed to focus on defending Ishval with what little he had. They only had ten planes to fight off Amestris, and the grit of the Ishvalans; It would have to do, though he couldn't help but worry about the obvious fact.

The only advantage they had over Amestris was their air superiority. If that ended up being lost, then the Amestrians could overwhelm Ishval with ease. He said gave one more glance to Maria as the engine to his plane started up, strapping himself in. Knowing that he had two spare parachutes just in case of the worst-case situation.

Mere moments later, they were taking off into the air ready to fight off the Amestrian dogs. As he got a better view of the sky, he could hardly believe his eyes! He had known about State Alchemists, almost every nation knew about the Alchemy that Amestris was so proud of. But he would've never imagined that they would so mercilessly use Alchemy for war, there was something horrific about it. As he watched the very earth, air, and water on the ground rend countless Ishvalan's into a bloody mess. It was horrific, and only further convinced Anson that they needed to succeed in defeating Amestris before it subjected everyone else to its monstrous true nature.

Anson flew the plane, preparing for an assault on the alchemists. It would be too risky to attack them up close, but, at the very least, they could attempt to shoot them from above. Or use some grenades at their disposal. At the very moment, he was thinking that he heard a sound that resembled a gunshot, pulling his attention to look upon the ground below. _'Are they really trying to shoot us from all the way up here, crazy bastards!'_ It wasn't until he heard the panicked yells of his own crew that he had been looking in the wrong direction, searching for the source of the commotion. Thor, his closest friend of many years, his blood painted the cockpit red along with his co-pilot, a hole in his head from a bullet. The Plane then crashed towards the ground with no pilots to control the descent. It exploded in a blaze of violent flames, not that Anson bothered to watch it.

Anson's eyes widened in pure disbelief. "Thor…" His voice trailed off.

"ANSON MOVE, WE GOT COMPANY!" His wife's voice brought his mind rushing back to reality. As he looked up above several hundred feet, Anson saw something he couldn't comprehend. It was a little girl aiming her rifle at them, she looked younger than his own daughter. He gripped his wheel in frustration, not only did the Amestrians not hesitate to slaughter their own people, but they were sending children to fight?!

However, as much as he hated the idea of having to kill a child, it didn't change the facts she was an enemy now and seemed to be the only thing standing in their way of aerial dominance. _'Lord, forgive me for what I must do.'_ Anson implored, feeling guilty but unwilling to let his brothers die at her hands.

Evasive maneuvers were easy enough to pull off, as it seemed that the girl didn't have much experience with her rifle. In spite of the constant maneuvering and dogfighting, he could make out she had some kind of aura around it; If he was a betting man, Anson would guess she was using her alchemy to ensure the recoil of the rifle wouldn't damage her child-like body.

Tanya cursed her luck as the co-pilots aimed their guns, and began shooting at her without hesitation. _'I guess it would be too much to expect some kind of hesitance towards a kid, sheesh. War really does bring out the worst in people..'_ She grimaced as she had to dance around the bullets, her aura shield bouncing the bullets away in almost every direction. It was just her luck that no not only did they have planes, but they also had heavy machine guns bolted onto the planes, the bullets that she could barely deflect packed one hell of a punch, meaning they were big caliber bullets. _'They look like .30 bullets.'_

'_It's taking all my multitasking to keep oxygen in my lungs, maintaining flight, and keep my rifle's recoil from hurting me.' _Tanya groaned as she kept up the dance, firing off a few more shots when the opportunity arose. The result was three more planes losing their pilots resulting in more fiery death, knowing that if she attempted to retreat, it would brand her a traitor.

But already, she could feel some exhaustion; she may have trained with her alchemy, yes.. but once again, those old words of Shugel echoed in the back of her mind. As much as she hated to admit it, she was nowhere near ready for combat in the slightest.

She especially didn't want to get close to the planes, opting instead to fly ahead of them ducking and weaving. Creating a shield to deflect the bullets she couldn't dodge, her only saving grace was her small stature, greater speed, and maneuverability.

The young soldier exchanged a few more shots with her targets, but they were getting pretty crafty. Tanya had to do something to turn the tide before she ran out of ammunition. It was then she noticed that some of the planes had some nondescript bags. Almost immediately, her mind thought about what she could remember about historical warfare, remembering as planes evolved they mounted guns on them or carried bombs. Before that, however, it wasn't uncommon for some to carry grenades. Granted, it wasn't exactly something one would advise to do.

Tanya felt the grin form on her face, as she knew that, while it would take her all of her concentration to rip the propellers from them with her magnetic Alchemy, those safety pins on the grenades could be removed easily. After taking copious seconds to plan her next move, the Pixie Alchemist took flight once, flying above the opposition once more, focusing on flying higher and higher where no modern plane could reach.

It was a gamble, as she knew she wouldn't be able to maintain a protective shield, and fly at the same time while reaching for pins on grenades. She could feel them all, the hundreds of minuscule pins that circled in various attack formations, only needing to pull a single speck that affected Tanya's shield. Instead, all but one from each bag had been sent tearing through the boiled leather, much to the shock and dismay of the soldiers.

A cascading inferno filled the Ishvalan skies, the smell of charred flesh and sulfur was omnipresent. To those on the ground, it looked like the very heavens had struck down those who dared to fly too close to the sun. As the leftover ashen clouds died down, Tanya coughed as things became more clear, breaching above the darkened clouds.

Anson watched in horror as the rest of his men died in that billowing hellscape. He had only survived because Maria had tossed out their grenades at the last moment. The explosion had jostled their plane, and it wouldn't be long until the flying wreckage quit on them.

He gritted his teeth for if he fled here and now, Amestris would win the war. No. He needed to take out that devil, no matter its appearance. Maria, who had been recovering from the sheer blast, groggily looked at him stunned as he recklessly aimed their damaged plane straight for the little girl. Maria, despite her reservations as a mother, didn't know who to believe in for the luck that the girl was out of ammo. But that soon changed as the Amestrian Devil seemed to struggle, their propeller having stopped in place. It shook in an unnatural way, as the engine struggled against the stationary propeller.

Maria knew at that moment what she had to do. She took out her rifle and slammed it into the back of Anson's head knocking him out prior to tossing him out of the immobile plane with a parachute, with the knowledge of his survival. Before they had left for their flights, she had set up the parachutes so that in an emergency they could open up. Anson's parachute would open up without him having to be conscious.

The Cretan fired everything she had left at the girl. But all was for naught, as the multicolored static shield surrounded the girl, causing one of the bullets to deflect right back into the plane's engine that had already been put through enough abuse. With the propeller stopping and grenade shrapnel cutting several fuel lines, the bullet just so happened to be the final nail in the coffin that sealed Maria's fate. The resulting explosion seemingly consumed both soldiers.

By the combination of the sudden thunderous boom and rippling wind, Anson regained consciousness long enough to howl at the abject loss of his wife. He made use of his parachute and landed far into Ishval. He had lost everyone...his crew, Thor and.. Clenching his teeth, he swore on that day he would avenge his comrades, and make Amestris pay for all they had done. _'Maria…'_

Out of the smoke fell Tanya, who had barely managed to keep the worst shrapnel away from herself. And all that was needed a little bit of pressure, having to manipulate the chemicals in the air to dull the impact of the explosion. The immense heat had singed her clothes, but as she descended from the sky, the young soldier couldn't help but laugh to herself, she hadn't been intending for an intense fight though she did enjoy its thrill.

'_But now that I've fought "Bravely" I will surely spend a few months in a hospital, and then if the war's over by then I can retire from service as an admirable hero. Take that, X!'_ She thought to herself barely remaining conscious enough to control her descent so she wouldn't die from falling out of the sky.

Of course, what happened next made her upset. She woke up a few hours in a hospital still on Ishval wrapped in bandages, but still very much alive.

"Give it a few weeks and you should be ready to get back on the front lines." Tim Marcoh said with a strained smile. For a man who was well regarded for his medical background saving lives, Marcoh had the haunted look of a man who had seen too much, with his short black hair with streaks of grey, and the tired worry-lines on his face. And downcast black eyes. Tanya still wasn't sure how, but it was likely due to his background in medical alchemy that most of her most severe injuries were rendered moot.

"I must say.. You've done far better than I would've expected, Pixie Alchemist." The booming voice of King Bradley made her put on a smile, and she used her good arm to salute him.

"Thank you for your praise, sir." She responded in a raspy voice. And then, with a double-take, she felt a sense of panic as she noticed he had some of his top Brass with him. _'Is he holding a medal?'_ She realized she had been more successful than she had hoped. She tuned out the big speech that Bradley gave her as he laid the silver wings assault badge down next to her.

'_Where's child protective services when you need them?'_ The young soldier groaned in thought as she realized that, thanks to the Crystal Alchemist's amazing healing and the pleased look in the top brasses eyes, she wasn't going to get an easy out of this war as she hoped for.

**Ishval Command Tent A Few Hours Later**

Bradley sipped his coffee as he listened to the sounds of gunfire and screams. Without the Cretans to support them by air, the Ishvalans were now sitting ducks.

A soldier walked in with a cheeky grin giving a half-hearted salute to the king of the nation.

"Envy," Bradley said seeing straight through the disguise. "So you succeeded in fanning the flames of civil war back in Creta?" He asked Envy.

"Sure did, and it was shockingly easy. Now Creta will be strangling itself, and Aerugo is completely backward, so I wouldn't worry too much about them. And I even got some presents for us." Envy snickered in a manner that annoyed Bradley, but he managed to keep his composure.

"And these presents are what, exactly?" Bradley asked narrowing his eye.

"I got us some functional planes. It should make it easier for us to create our own. Granted, I gotta wonder why Shugel, of all people, has been put in charge of their development. Sure he is smart, but a bit unhinged. Those rockets of his are still unreliable." Envy complained about the infamous doctor.

"If Father has willed it, then there is nothing to be done about it." Bradley stated as a matter of fact.

"Okay, Your Excellency. I will leave you to it, Father has a few more tasks for me to accomplish anyways. I'll give our siblings, your regards." Envy yawned still in his soldier's shape, and then he walked out of the tent leaving Bradley to his thoughts.

**A/N: Oof another long chapter XD. Sorry for the wait, but I decided to treat the Ishval war as one long chapter. This is only part one of it, there will be more. And I am looking forward to the next chapter since Visha finally shows up XD.**

**KnightOfZaku: Stay tuned and find out XD. **

**Cat Eyes In The Night: Hoped you enjoyed it.**

**Venomous dragons bite: Thank you for your review.**

**GrapeFanta: I will try my best.**


	7. Chapter Five: Argent's Crucible Part Two

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or properties. Please support the official release.**

**Ishvalan Outskirts**

Three Months. Three long months had passed since the Cretans had bolstered the Ishvalan forces. But due to the new civil war, the Cretans were left out of the equation. And yet Aerugo had taken up the slack, making the war even more brutal than most would've expected it to be. It was no longer a war of extermination, but now an actual war.

In response to the aggression from Aerugo. Amestris had gathered up what troops they could, but Aerugo despite the technological disadvantage was able to take advantage of using Ishval as a launching point. It was a full-on invasion, which left Amestris in the unenviable position of having to conscript soldiers younger than usual.

Which was something Visha knew all too well. She flinched as she heard a nearby artillery strike from outside the vehicle transporting them to one of the base camps stationed on the outskirts of Ishval. Visha certainly didn't mind fighting for her home, but much like any other reasonable soldier this whole business of extermination weighed heavily on her.

And it reminded her too much of Drachma, and the horrors that befell her family. If they hadn't fled to Amestris when she was young it was likely she would've been killed or worse. She clutched her rifle.

"Getting nervous Princess Visha?" The Friendly joking tone of Harald eased some of Visha's tension. She smiled back a little even with the bumpiness of the road jostling her every so often. Harald was an average-looking young man with dark hair. He was a little older than Visha by two years, being around sixteen years old.

Back at the academy, Harald was always sneaking Visha some extra rations. And she, in turn, would lend him some of her notes on the tests.

"Don't worry about a thing Visha. We will be at the camp before you know it, and fighting back those dang invaders. For the Fatherland!" Came the always eager Kurst. He was a young man much like Harald though with Blond hair and thinner than Harald. Though much to his chagrin he didn't need to shave as much as Harald did, not being as gifted with the ability to grow a beard.

He had taught her how to use a rifle at the academy. Ever since the war had started back in 1901, the military had anticipated stiff resistance. So an early draft had been instituted to lower the age of service. Visha had been drafted at thirteen, and Harald and Kurst had been good friends with her helping her adjust to the sudden training regimen.

Her thoughts went to her roommate at the academy briefly. Erya who was so much prettier than her. _'I am grateful she won't be thrust into this war.'_ Erya had shown great aptitude for intelligence work and had been sent off to work in Central.

Visha felt a little more at ease now thinking of all the good times at the academy. She had enjoyed the tutelage, and no one discriminated against her for her Drachman heritage. It was one of the few times she didn't feel like an outsider in Amestris.

Then the world violently changed for Visha, as a loud sound filled the air along with a flash of light. Their vehicle had hit a booby trap. Visha was only able to barely react in the way she had been trained in case of such an event.

Her ears were still ringing as her vision adjusted, she could smell smoke and copper. Visha counted herself lucky that she only had a light scrape on her left shoulder, she picked up her rifle. And looking around, Visha vomited at the site of Harald and Kurst, her friends from the academy.

Dead, torn apart by shrapnel. Visha felt like her knees would give out at any moment. It was only the sound of gunfire outside that kept her from passing out. _'No don't pass out Viktoriya! Just gotta make it to the camp, remember the map of Amestris. Like you used to study in class.'_ Visha had excelled in her academics in class, while most people assumed she was a bit soft and a little carefree.

They were often surprised by her competency, and surprising quick wit. Visha checked her rifle to see if it was in good condition. A relieved exhale let her know it was good for service. She slowly walked out of the truck, hugging the walls for cover. Once outside she was greeted by the blistering sun, and the brightness of the day compared to the shade of the truck nearly overwhelmed her.

Visha looked around her surroundings, as she ran for the nearest cover. It was going to be a long arduous trip to safety. But right now all Visha could do was focus on the immediate situation, the sounds of gunfire made her head ring. She clutched onto her rifle for dear life, and inside some part of her had hoped she wouldn't have to fight in the war.

But aggression brought on by Aerugo had brought demand for more forces. As Aerugo had invaded other portions of Amestris as well. And there was the talk of Drachma starting up a fight with the impregnable Fort Briggs once again.

Visha barely dodged a bullet that flew past her head, and on instinct. Using her training she fired in reaction shooting a strange-looking man. He wasn't ishvalan, but he didn't have the red outfits of the Aerugo militia either.

He had short brown hair and stubble. And Visha had shot him in the stomach, the man crumpled to the ground. Shaking Visha didn't have time to process what might have been her first kill, as she knew the place was far too dangerous to stick around in.

She ran past the man, bullets whizzing past her. And she fired her rifle a few more times taking out enemies shooting at her. And for the next three hellish hours, that was her only routine in life as she marched to where she hoped the camp would be.

She couldn't believe that she had made it out of that hell zone. But then she gasped as a bullet went through her shoulder, and she grimaced at the Aerugo forces chasing her down. _'Is this really how it ends?'_ Visha felt panic, but she fired off another shot. At least she could go out fighting before the end.

Such thoughts were interrupted by an explosion of multicolored light. As the Aerugan soldiers in front of her were destroyed in the dazzling explosion. Leaving nothing but a few slivers of flesh and ashes.

Visha stared at the carnage for a few seconds, before looking around. Noticing in the sky flying above her a little girl dressed in all white. _'Is she an angel?'_ Visha thought to herself as she saw the girl descend.

"Successful Experiment with my prototype rifle is a success, but will need further adjustments." The little blonde girl spoke to herself, though Visha could hear her. She struggled to take a look at the rifle and noticed alchemical symbols engraved on the rifle. "You there." Visha blinked as she realized the girl with the most piercing silver-blue eyes was staring directly at her. Visha felt like the girl was staring directly into her soul.

"Y-Yes Ma'am?!" Visha nervously got off the ground saluting the girl. The girl blinked at her, before cracking a faint smile.

"Did you get here all by yourself? That's very commendable, considering no one else made it. Tell me what is your name and rank?" The otherworldly child asked her.

"Private Viktoriya Ivanova Serebryakov ma'am!" Visha said holding her salute to the best of her ability.

"At ease" The child stated, and Visha dropped her salute. "Are you a conscript or a volunteer?" The girl asked inspecting Visha with her eyes. She could tell the little girl was an alchemist due to the flying she had been doing along with that rifle.

And alchemists were a strange and scary bunch. Feared in other nations, like Drachma who purged any and all alchemists in their territory.

"I am a conscript ma'am." Visha nervously looked around as she still had her rifle ready. Yet it seemed there were no more Aerugan forces in their immediate area. Based on the cheering it seemed the Aerugan forces had been driven away completely for now.

"And yet you fight with more vigor than the common volunteer. Pretty impressive Serebryakov." The girl said with such an angelic smile that Visha felt a pleasant heat in her chest.

'_Is she really a soldier on the battlefield?' _Visha thought to herself. She was quickly brought back to reality by the little girl gesturing for her to enter the camp.

"Well, Private Serebryakov, you best go see the brass. They will want to know what happened." The girl turned around and began going her own separate way. Visha was tempted to ask the little girl her name, but she resisted the temptation knowing she had other priorities.

Visha walked to the main tent, and inside were some radio electronics, a fine wooden table, and three old looking men.

"Report," Zettour stated clasping his hands together. Visha nervously recounted what had transpired, fighting back the trauma lingering at the back of her mind. It took all her willpower to not break down when she could see the dead faces of Harald and Kurst in her mind.

"I see. Well, I must say it's impressive you made it all the way here. I think we will assign you to an alchemist, you will assist them for the duration of this war. Make sure they stay alive, now then go get some rest. You made the fatherland proud today soldier." Russeldorf exhaled the smoke from his cigar.

Giving a salute Visha left the tent. Her mind barely registered the next few minutes, as she haphazardly stumbled into the nearest tent. She dived headfirst into the cot, and now that she finally had a chance to rest. Tears began to pour out, as she finally was able to grieve the loss of her friends.

**The Next Day**

Visha sniffled a little as she woke up, feeling sick to her stomach.

"Hey." Visha blinked as she was offered a water canteen, from a blonde woman. Who had warm brown eyes, though they had dark circles beneath their eyes. It seemed war was having a heavy toll on all involved. "Drink up, you need to keep going otherwise you won't last long." The woman said gently.

"Thank you," Visha said taking the water can gingerly, and taking a sip. Her burning throat felt relieved by the cool water.

"Riza Hawkeye." Riza introduced herself to Visha extending her hand out. Visha shook the offered hand with a smile. And noticed right away that the older woman had a strong grip despite her tired expression.

"Viktoriyia Serebryakov, though my friends call me Visha." She admitted with a small smile.

"I heard about yesterday. Must have been rough." Riza said while taking out a spare water can. She took a sip while looking at Visha.

"It was sudden," Visha said and then took another long gulp from the can. "One moment we were just joking around and the next…" She trailed off, her hands shaking as she gripped the can. Riza gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"It's okay you don't have to talk about it," Riza assured her. "But if it helps. I am sure the war won't last much longer. They weren't prepared for our alchemists. I don't envy them though, I would hate to be on the receiving end." The future second in command of the flame alchemist still remembered all the screams and the smell of burning flesh. The older woman had lost several long nights of sleep over such things.

"You know back in the capital I heard about some of the alchemists. I didn't know any alchemists growing up, so hearing about these state alchemists. It's almost like hearing about some heroes from a storybook." Visha admitted somewhat embarrassed at her prior delusions.

Riza smiled, however, understanding where Visha was coming from. It was something she had seen before, there were many soldiers like her and Visha who had been sent into Ishval. Some had reservations, and others believed fully in the glory of Amestris. But then cruel reality happened to spit in their faces.

There were some rumors of suicides in some camps. And Armstrong hadn't been the same since he had held that dead ishvalan child in his arms. But even in war there just seemed to be those who were either made of sterner stuff or were just monsters well suited to the carnage.

The two that came to Riza's mind almost immediately were the Red Lotus Alchemist and The Pixie Alchemist. Those two just gave off a twisted feeling to Riza, like they weren't right in the head. And yet every time she talked to them, it felt like they were speaking harsh realities she didn't want to believe in.

She didn't want to believe that all humans were good for was violent tendencies, no there had to be more than that!

"Hello, ladies mind if I cut in?" Riza grimaced at the voice. Which belonged to one Roy Mustang, with his confident smirk, despite the dark circles under his eyes.

"Shouldn't you be on patrol right now Major?" Riza asked in a cutting tone that made Roy feel like she had taken several masterful shots right through his heart.

"Ah, you wound me!" Roy exclaimed a little dramatically, but he noted that she hadn't said no. He then sat down on the nearby bed adjacent to them. "So I hear we will be getting some reorganization soon." He sighed running his hands through his hair. He felt like they were scrambling things up purposefully sometimes, or that some rather dire miscommunication was afoot.

"That's true no telling where we will end up," Riza commented while Visha felt somewhat awkward due to the stare Riza gave Roy. It was like a scolding mother, and she wondered if she shouldn't just leave. She needed some kind of way out, any way out would do.

"You would think that we would have some good coffee made already." Visha heard the grumble of a familiar face. And she took that as her call to action.

"I can make some coffee ma'am!" Visha stood up straight with a salute as she stared down at the shorter girl from across the room. Then her cheeks began to heat up as she realized just how far away the girl was and how loud she had spoken up to get her attention.

Riza let out a little chuckle at that, while Roy blinked in confusion as to why anyone would want to interact with the devil that was the pixie alchemist. After the odd duo left the tent, Roy turned back to Riza with a serious look on his face.

"I got word from Hughes." He started off with a hushed tone as he looked around the tent. There weren't too many in at the moment, most of them he recognized. Enough so that he felt he could have this brief chat with Riza.

"What's the word?" Riza asked and then took a sip from her canteen. She knew that whatever news Hughes had, it wasn't likely to be anything less than important. And yet important could mean any number of things, from bad to worse to hopefully some margin of good.

"Let's just say it is very likely the war is going to be longer than we thought. And if his hunch is right, it could very well continue outside of Ishval." Roy concluded in a somber tone.

"I see." Riza felt sick to her stomach, she could barely handle this damn extermination. And now it was going to pour out into an even bigger conflict. If there truly was a forsaken god in this world, one would think that they wouldn't allow such inhumane conflicts to take place. Especially when there seemed to be no real good reason for any of it!

"Private…" Roy said gently looking at her. He clasped his hands together as they shared a silent moment. Both of them looking down at his gloves, their shared bond from her father. The sum total of his great fire alchemy, a potent force. And one of many secrets that the two shared, no further words were needed between them.

**Aerugo-Ishvalan Campsite**

The world was blurry and dark to one soldier, and when he opened his eyes. He felt like his right eye couldn't see at all, and he tried to move. But found his legs wouldn't work, and he started to struggle to get out of the bed before a doctor rushed to his side pushing him back onto the bed.

"Colonel Sue! You need to calm down, you're in no condition to get up right now!" The Doctor barked at him, and Anson wanted to strongly disagree. But when several other doctors showed up to push the point, he relented and allowed himself to relax back down in the bed. Wondering why his legs wouldn't work. Surely it was just restraints on his legs to keep him from getting out of bed right?

He soon got his answer a few hours later, and he was distraught to learn that he had taken a bullet to his spine. His walking days were done with and now it was just a matter of time before he would end up getting shipped off back home. The only solace he could take was that he would be able to spend more time with his beloved daughter Mary.

Anson sighed as he watched time pass in the sky, the impending thought of what life would carry for him after this made him sick to his stomach. The damn empire had robbed him of everything, first his wife, his men, and now they even took away his ability to fight against them on the battlefield.

He knew that he could never regain vengeance on that damn devil. That little child monster that flew in the domain of the sky unaided by a plane, the monster who had so thoroughly smashed them time and time again for the last three months. It pained him that there seemed to be so little justice in this cruel world.

Was his wife's death for nothing? Would he simply have to accept whatever outcome the war took? What if the Empire won, what could he do then other than hope that the monsters would never come to his home.

Anson clutched his bedsheets at the thought of hope. If this war had taught him one thing, it was that hope wasn't enough, he had had faith that some higher power would assist him. That some higher power would give him the strength to avenge his lover. And yet as he looked down at the legs that would never again move, he realized that if there had been some higher power at play. It was some kind of cruel joke, and that in the end, the only one he could rely on was himself.

But he wouldn't let this destroy him. _'No! From this day forth, I will keep the things I love safe. And I don't know how yet, but I will find some way to repay Amestris for everything it has done to me. But I suppose I can ironically thank them for one thing, I will finally get to spend more time with my daughter as I should have for so long.'_

**Amestris Camp**

Visha blinked as men were shouting, and it then clicked in her mind. Yesterday General Zettour had mentioned that there was going to be some reorganizing. But she had thought it would take more time.

"Come Serebryakov. We best not be absent for our reassignment orders." The Pixie Alchemist said with a sigh, though she seemed much more chipper after having drunk the coffee that Visha had brewed for her. She actually seemed like a child at that moment, though Visha was still nervous around the young girl.

"Yes, Ma'am!" Visha said with a nod and moved to where the soldiers were gathering. Her odd comrade following alongside her. Visha didn't know much about the girl so far, and if Visha was being honest with herself. She was somewhat frightened of the small girl, having seen her effortlessly fly through the sky like some angel, and when she destroyed Aerugan forces it was like she was smiting them with god's wrath.

Visha was just glad that the young girl seemed to be on their side. She then turned her attention as papers were being passed out. She looked at her paper with some confusion, according to what she could tell. She would be working for one Major Tanya Von Degurechaff.

"Well then seems like we're going to be stuck together a little longer huh Serebryakov?" Visha did a double-take as the gears in her mind spun together, and everything fell into place. This small child terrifying child in front of her would be her superior officer from now on? "Just stick close to me, follow my orders and we will make it through this hell. Oh, and if you keep the coffee coming I think I might fall in love with you." Tanya joked friendly enough patting Visha's arm.

Visha blinked for a moment before letting out a laugh. And then a smile, she felt somewhat more comfortable around Tanya now. Maybe because the girl was willing to joke with her, letting her know that she wasn't some hardass or some kind of demon.

"Yes, ma'am and I will take down as many enemies of Amestris as possible!" Visha called out with a salute, though she felt a bit embarrassed worried she might have overdone it. But Tanya had a smile on her face pleased by Visha's eagerness.

"Enthusiastic and given how you managed to make it to the camp nearly on your own. I would say you're pretty resourceful Serebryakov. You might just make a great soldier yet." Tanya said giving Visha a compliment as she read her own paper, and the smile dropped from her face.

"What is it, ma'am?" Visha asked confused by the grim look on Tanya's face. Tanya folded the letter up neatly and then stuffed it in her coat's pocket.

"Well looks like I will be teaming up with a few of my fellow alchemists again," Tanya commented in a sour tone. Visha was tempted to ask if that was really so bad but then thought about why that might be a bad thing. She tried to think of why it might be detrimental, but couldn't think of anything. "Let's just say the team I am being paired up with, pretty talented for sure. But some have a few screws loose, then again I don't admire the other team being sent elsewhere." Tanya said with a sound of resignation.

"Well come along Serebryakov. We can't keep them waiting." Tanya ordered her, and Visha fell right in line behind her as they walked over to a series of transport vehicles. She instantly was able to recognize a few friendly faces, Riza and Roy.

But she didn't recognize a few others. One face belonged to a giant of a man, and he seemed rather downcast, his single blonde curl on his head even had a droop somehow. There was a man next to Roy showing him some kind of pictures she couldn't quite make out. But the man with the glasses seemed overly proud of them.

And then there were two men seated inside the vehicles. A tall tan bald man save for a mustache, and iron gauntlets that reached up to his forearms. He had an intense stare that made Visha want to go crawl in a hole and hope that he wouldn't kill her. Seated next to him was an elderly looking man, with the most sadist grin on face, and Visha could make out some tattooed alchemy circles on his hands.

"Where's Kimblee?" Tanya asked Roy, having a weary look on her face.

"I heard the Brass decided to give him special orders at the last moment. No idea where he is." Roy answered with a huff. And Tanya had a contemplative look on her face. Visha wondered just who Kimblee was.

"I guess we will just have to make do with the silver alchemist and the iron blooded alchemist," Tanya said with a sigh before turning to look at the giant of a man. "Alex," Tanya spoke the man's name loudly, which made him jump a little as he stared down at the small child.

"Are you sure that you're up for this? If not I would suggest you go to Zettour and request to leave Ishval effective immediately." Tanya said in a sharp tone. And Visha was a little worried at the harshness of her tone but taking another look at the man. Visha could tell that the man was traumatized and she couldn't tell if he could make it.

"Major! That is out of line!" Roy snapped at Tanya. But Tanya didn't break eye contact with the big man.

"Do you think you can handle any more blood than what you already have on your hands?" Tanya asked the question rather bluntly. And Visha's stomach churned as she thought of the men that had tried to kill her yesterday, how she had to kill them in return to stay alive.

She felt guilty at having to take other people's lives, but if she hadn't they would have taken her life. Visha still didn't like the thought of having to kill people though.

"I…" Alex stammered but couldn't finish his sentence, looking down at the ground. Tanya then stepped forward grabbing his large hand with her smaller hands.

"Major Armstrong, please don't torture yourself any more than you have to. Go home, before the fighting gets any worse. Stay there and keep things safe at home so that we have something to come back to. And don't worry we will finish this war so that there doesn't have to be any more lost life." Tanya finished with a smile. "That's a soldier's job, after all, to keep firing until we are told to no longer fire, so don't worry go home and know this war will be over soon." Tanya squeezed his big hand.

Visha smiled at Tanya's moving speech. She was a true patriot not just fighting for her homeland but also looking out for her fellow soldiers. The brunette felt more at ease now that she knew that Tanya would do her best to keep her alive during this bloody war.

Roy in the meantime looked rather silent and looked off to the side with a defeated expression.

"She does have a point, Alex, you do have some time before we have to move out. Go speak to Zettour let him know what's up." The man with glasses approached the big man with a sincere smile.

"Yes, I do believe you're both right." The big man smiled weakly. And then he stood up straight no longer slouching and gave a heartfelt salute to his fellow soldiers. That everyone returned to the big man, and then Armstrong walked away.

Roy stared at Tanya and she stared back with an inquisitive gaze. Then Roy looked away as he decided to walk up into one of the transport vehicles. Tanya shrugged and followed after him, Visha fell into step behind Tanya walking alongside Riza.

"So looks like you're in a better mood than you were a few hours ago," Riza noted with a chuckle.

"Well, I figure that I am in good company. All that remains is to just make it through as we go along." Visha said with a somewhat energetic smile, though it was tinged with some nervousness. She didn't much like the prospect of this whole extermination business, but something told her that if she followed Tanya she could make it through anywhere from Hell to even Heaven and back.

**A/N: I do apologize for the wait. I got involved in some real-life stuff, got distracted by some really good fics, like for example this new fic that popped up in Youjo Senki Fanfiction. A Young Girl's Delinquency Record, really good stuff. **

**Or if you're curious about other Youjo Senki crossovers, there is also the newest overlord one New Order. Not a bad one.**

**Now then I did consider making up to three chapters and then a backup, but seeing how long this one took. I didn't feel that was fair but rest assured I have planned out the future chapters so hopefully, updates will be more frequent. **

**And I did consider doing some additional brief mini short stories for other fics but considering that I still have some chapters I want to publish for this. I will put those on the back burner for now.**

**Also, I partially struggled with this chapter because I was trying to get myself better acclimated to understanding and writing Visha's character. I decided that for this chapter it needed to mainly be Visha's POV since she is a major character in her own right. And in a lot of ways is basically Tanya's Hawkeye much like Riza is Roy's Visha. Now does that confirm a ship? Who knows *Shrugs* You will just have to stay tuned to find out.**


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